A Secret, Forbidden Friend II: Starlight Requiem
by midnightwolfGX
Summary: Kira and Aster have both come to fulfill their lives as a happy family with their new daughter, Star. Eventually, they cross paths with some old allies, make new ones along the way, and learn more secrets about genetically-engineered Xenomorphs. However, when old and new enemies make their presence felt, Kira, Aster, and Co. find themselves in more danger than ever...
1. Prologue

**Well, you want it? You got it! I finally decided to start a sequel to ASFF, out of popular demand (and out of honor for _Alien: Covenant_ coming out; I REALLY want to see it!). To be honest, I've kinda wanted to see where things could go after the end of the previous one myself, so here I am with this Alien headcanon I've created once more! You delivered the reviews and requests, and I have responded (seriously, when I started writing it, I didn't even REMOTELY imagine that ASFF would become as big as it is! It's made it into the Google autocomplete!) So, I hope you all enjoy the sequel!**

It all started back at Weyland Advanced University of Astronomy, Engineering, and Biology...

The day she met him was a turning point in both of their lives...

He escaped, and she hid him...

They formed a very strong bond to one another...

They had been through thick and thin to be with each other...

They have pledged their love, despite being different species...

They now have a child, and live, in secret, as a happy family...

…

...That all happened one year ago.

Now...

(XXXX)

A girl in her early twenties lay asleep in her bed, alongside a large, alien creature. At first glance to a dissociated individual, it might seem as if she was in peril, given the nature of this creature... but it is not a particular one that was found in nature. It contained traces of human DNA, which has given it a male gender, and human emotions. Yes, including love.

As strange as it seemed, these two were a couple. Mates. It might seem taboo, but love can be shared by any two creatures, even if they were different. These two were living proof of that.

The girl... a kind, fun-loving, energetic soul, who can always manage to keep a smile on her face in the darkest of times, seeing situations as challenges more so than obstacles to overcome. She helped the alien creature to cope after going through a long ordeal of painful living. Her DNA has been spliced with that of the alien creature's, having been due to... certain events, essentially turning her into a hybrid, and giving her alien traits, albeit her still appearing to be fully human.

The alien... labeled as one of the most dangerous creatures alive, given the name "Xenomorph" due the species' nature for various forms depending on the host they spawn from. He is a type called a Drone, and yet he was genetically engineered for the purpose of eliminating asexual genes, which would prevent evolution to a Queen stage, as it would have caused problems with the research that the Weyland-Yutani Corporation was conducting on him.

...Their names are Kira and Aster Sykes.

They were not the only two in the house. Sleeping in a bedroom right next to theirs... was a Xenomorph child, a female. Kira and Aster had mated after pledging their love for each other, and had a daughter within the span of one day afterward, due to the Xenomorph's tendency to develop embryos rapidly from a host. Her arms and legs had already grown properly, and her skin had darkened to its regular black color, though she was still considerably smaller than an adult Drone; as mentioned, she was still a child. While she appeared to be a full Xeno, she had even more human DNA than that of her father.

...Her name is Star, biological daughter of Kira and Aster.

All of them were living their lives as a happy family. Kira was willing to do anything to provide for them both. Very few individuals knew of their relationship. Some of them are willing to keep the secret, whilst others are... not in a position where people would believe them. A year ago, they found themselves in a life-or-death situation against a very dangerous man. But together, and with some extra help, they managed to fend off the threat, and some legal aid helped to pardon them from the crimes she and the other party involved did not commit.

Soon enough, however, the sun began to rise. Once it was high enough in the sky, Aster began to awaken. He stretched his arms, legs, and tail after standing. And then, he happened to notice that his mate was still sleeping. So, he knelt down next to the bed, basically hovering over her, until she would awaken. After watching her for a few moments, Kira began to wake up, seeing the large Drone sitting next to her.

She smiled at him.

"Hey, you." she said.

Aster smiled. " _Good morning, my sweet angel._ " he spoke telepathically to her.

Kira sat up. "Up and at 'em again, aren't you?" she asked.

" _I can't help it. I just such an early bird._ " Aster said.

"Well..." Kira said, standing up. "...might as well get started with the day!"

" _Now that's the Kira I know! Energetic and ready to go!_ " Aster said.

"Shh!" Kira hushed, and lowering her voice. "You'll wake Star!"

" _Oh, right... sorry._ " Aster said.

Kira walked out of the bedroom, and opened the door to the neighboring bedroom, with Aster following behind her. Inside, they saw their daughter, still fast asleep, hugging an old but well-preserved Rainbow Dash plushie that used to belong to Kira when she was little.

Kira sighed. "Even to this day... I still can't believe it. I have a family of my own. I'm a mother." she whispered.

" _I know..._ " Aster said. " _...even I still can't believe that, after nineteen years of torture, I'm free and spending my life with you, Kira._ "

"So, how's it feel...?" Kira asked. "Knowing that you're the father of a living thing?"

" _I... I just can't put it into words. Star has been just about the greatest thing to ever happen to me, aside from you, Kira._ " Aster trailed off, looking over at his sleeping daughter. " _...She's absolutely beautiful._ "

"Yeah. And she's definitely got your blue tone." Kira said.

Compared to other Xenos, Aster had a slight bluish tinge to his skin. It was so subtle, however, that not just anyone would notice by looking.

" _Well, I'm just glad that everything panned out well after what happened last year._ " Aster said.

"Yeah... it was _crazy_. Running from the law... chased by a madman..." Kira said. "...I'm just glad it's all over now."

Aster pondered for a moment. " _...I wonder how Sugarcube and Kai are faring?_ "

"Hmmm..." Kira wondered. "...I'm not sure. But, I think all's well with them, too. In any case, I'm sure we can just put all of our bad experiences behind us now, and look forward to a better future."

" _I agree._ " Aster said.

The two proceeded to get themselves off to a good start for the day, and Kira was soon off to work, leaving Aster to entertain Star by himself. He always loved to spend time with his daughter.

 **Well, I'd say we're off to a good start, recapping the original. And next will come the actual start of the story, so stick around. Again, I really wanna thank all of you guys for your support. I didn't think so many people would be into human-Xenomorph relationships. Hell, I'd KILL to have a Xeno girlfriend of my own! (*sigh* I'll be forever alone, won't I? XD) So anyways, hope you all are hyped up for the sequel! Keep holding on...**


	2. Ch 1 - Secret Family

**Okay, so we'll start off, strangely enough, with a fairly long chapter. Hope this opening is a good start for you all!**

Star woke up one morning, and the first thing she did was look outside through the living room door that led to the patio. It yielded the view of a large, green, grassy field in the middle of an isolated part of the outskirt of Austin, Texas. The Sykes had moved shortly after Star was born, and Kira decided to start paying a mortgage for a permanent residence. She had managed to rake in a decent amount of income through her paid researcher internship, along with her seasonal job.

In any case, Star slid open the door, and got a nice breath of the outdoor morning air. The sun was just barely below the horizon, casting a crimson glow through the sky.

" _Ah... gonna be a sunny day. Just how I like it..._ " Star said to herself.

She readied herself to rush outside, but something caught her arm.

" _Woah, not so fast..._ " Aster said.

Star giggled as she struggled to escape his grip. She assumed she had gotten up early enough to have a chance to get outside before her parents awoke.

" _Daddy... c'mon, let me go!_ " she said.

" _Now, Star... you remember what your mother and I said about going outside, right?_ " Aster said.

" _I know, I know..._ " Star said. " _...don't go out unless you or mom are with me, and if I see any people coming close, come straight back inside._ "

Kira came downstairs at that moment. "Hey, what's all the commotion about?" she asked.

" _Oh, our little morning-Star here just tried to flee the house while our backs were turned!_ " Aster said, humorously.

"Heh heh..." Kira chuckled. "...mind your father, Star."

" _Yes, Mom..._ " Star said.

"But..." Kira said, picking up a frisbee. "...it's my day off! Wanna go out and toss the disk back and forth?"

" _Yeah! Sounds like fun!_ " Star said.

" _Let's do it!_ " Aster added.

So, the three of them went outside, throwing the frisbee to each other, running around to keep it from landing on the ground. They were concealed by the shrubbery that surrounded the property. All of them were laughing and having a good time. It was definitely a good way for all of them to spend time together, and be active.

Later on, they all got tired, and went inside to lounge. They decided to just watch a movie... but Star ended up falling asleep because she was tired from running around a lot. Both of them noticed when the movie was over.

" _I'll take the little princess up to her room..._ " Aster said, picking up Star in his arms, and carrying her up the steps, being careful not to wake her.

After Aster laid Star in her bed, shut her bedroom door, and returned downstairs, Kira's phone began to ring.

" _Who's calling you?_ " Aster asked.

"I dunno..." Kira picked up her phone. "...Hello?"

" _Kira! It's so good to hear your voice again!_ " came a female voice over the phone that Kira recognized nearly instantly.

"...Mom?" Kira said. "Is that you?"

" _Yes, it is!_ " Kira's mother answered. " _So, how are things going at the University? Have you made it into a good research team?_ "

Kira's throat went dry. She remembered that her parents had no knowledge of what happened a year ago. After being expelled from Weyland Advanced University, Kira went to a community college, and transferred into a different university in order to achieve her dream of making it into the WY research field.

Kira cleared her throat. "Things are going... great! I'm going to begin my research career after another three years, and I'll be an official scientist after five!" she said.

" _That's AWESOME, Kira! We're so proud of you!_ " Kira's mother said.

"Thanks." Kira said.

" _Also..._ " her mother began. " _...have you, by chance, met any boys you might want to date?_ "

Kira's heart skipped a beat. Again, her parents knew nothing about her current situation.

"Um..." Kira slowly began. "...yeah. I've met one, and he's... really nice."

" _Good for you, Kira! What's his name?_ " her mother asked.

"Um... Aster." Kira responded.

" _Aster? Oh, is it the same Aster from high school? Did he feel bad about what he did?_ " Kira's mother asked.

"No, he's a Xen... uh, different guy." Kira said.

" _Oh, well I'm glad that you've managed to meet a boy you like!_ " her mother said. " _Speaking of which, we'd love to meet him one day!_ "

Once again, Kira was put on edge.

"Well... o-okay..." Kira said. "...I'd... love for you... t-to meet him, too..."

" _Kira... are you_ sure _everything's alright? You sound kind of worried..._ " Kira's mother said.

"Yes, everything's fine. I just didn't get enough sleep last night." Kira said, trying to improve her tone.

" _I'm sorry about that. Work keeping you from getting a good night's sleep?_ " her mother asked.

"No!" Kira said. "I love my job. It's just... I've been spending a lot of time with my... friends, and... it's left me too awake to fall asleep on certain nights."

" _Well... we will try to find time to come and visit you!_ " Kira's mother said.

"Thanks..." Kira said, a bit worried. "...I'll be looking forward to it. It's been a few years now, hasn't it?"

" _Yeah, it has. Anyways, please call us more often!_ " Kira's mother said. " _Your father and I worry about you!_ "

"I will." Kira said. "Anyways... I have to get going."

" _Okay. Well, I love you!_ " her mother said.

"Love you, too. Bye." Kira said.

Kira hung up her phone, and pressed her lips together nervously. Aster tilted his head in concern.

" _Who was that?_ " he asked.

"My mother..." Kira said. "...she said she wants to meet the guy I'm seeing..."

" _But... you aren't seeing anyone else..._ " he trailed off, putting his finger to his chin. " _...are you?_ "

"What? No! Never, Aster!" Kira responded. "I give my heart only to you, Aster. But... I can't let my parents meet _you_! If they see you, they'll _freak_! And... they might think I've got a problem..."

" _Kira, it's okay._ " Aster said. " _You don't need to introduce me to them. I'm perfectly fine with hiding._ "

"That's not it, Aster..." Kira said. "...I told her she could meet you. Ngh, I can't _believe_ I said that! I'm so _stupid-stupid-stupid_...!"

Kira's mind was completely racing out of control. She could not figure a way out of the situation. She could say she broke up, but then her parents would be disappointed, and might try to figure out who the particular Aster is who would be attending the school. Come to think of it, Kira did not think there was a single student at the campus named "Aster".

" _Kira... please try to calm down._ " Aster advised.

Kira sighed. "I can't, Aster. I don't want to disappoint my parents... but I don't want to lie to them, either..." she said.

 _I guess there's only one way to do this..._ Aster thought, just before he began to focus his telepathy into Kira's brain.

After a moment, Kira opened her eyes widely.

"Ohhh..." she said, just before she closed her eyes and put her hands to her head.

A very weird sensation was filling her head. It was, however, one that she was quite familiar with.

"Aster..." Kira began. "...please... I know what you're trying to do..."

" _C'mon, Kira... you know it doesn't cause any pain..._ " Aster said.

Her brain felt very fuzzy, but a very good, calming sensation was manifesting in every square-inch of her body. Still, she tried to keep her rational thought.

"Aster... no... stop..." Kira said, shifting her hands around her head. "...this is unfair..."

" _Nah, I think it's fair..._ " Aster said. " _I'm just trying to calm you down..._ "

Kira tried her best to keep control, but her willpower was fading fast. Aster's telepathy was overwhelming her conscious thought. Despite a smile appearing on her face, Kira continued to try and protest.

"...P-please... As...ter..." she managed to utter.

" _C'mon... don't fight it..._ " Aster said. " _...just let me in..._ "

After a few more seconds, Kira opened her eyes to reveal that her pupils were now hyperdilated, and had a sort of greenish haze in them. Anyone could tell just by looking at her eyes that she was under some sort of trance.

Aster had assumed full control of Kira's mind. She would obey any command he gave her.

She brought her hands back down, and half-closed her eyes as she still carried the same dreamy smile on her face. She stood up, facing Aster. The Xeno smirked.

" _...That's better._ " Aster said.

Kira brought her hand up, and rubbed the size of his head... just as he telepathically instructed her to.

" _Now Kira, why don't you..._ " he paused for a moment, smiling. " _..._ strip _for me?_ "

Without hesitation, and without any visible change of expression, Kira began to remove her clothing, piece by piece. She threw her shirt and shorts off to the side, leaving only her bra and panties. She began to take off her bra, but instead of tossing it aside... she draped it over Aster's head. She did the same thing with her panties upon removing them as well.

Kira was now completely naked. Still holding the same blissful expression, she immediately pressed her body against his. Aster then pulled both of them onto the couch, wrapping his limbs around his mate, and groping her tits. She let out a pleasured sigh. It was clear that she was effectively calmed from Aster's telepathic link.

" _Now... what is there to worry about?_ " Aster asked.

"...Nothing, my King..." the hypnotized Kira responded.

 **Well, things sure are picking up quick, even if the actual conflict hasn't begun. Aster's real pervy, isn't he? XD Anyways, yes: Kira's parents will appear in-person at a later point in the story. I just figured I'd introduce them since they had not appeared in the first fic. So, hope you all like the chapter! There's gonna be more to come! Keep holding on...**


	3. Ch 2 - An Old Ally

**Yeah, I know things have been off to kind of a slow start, but they will start to pick up soon! Now, in order to make it work, I plan to have a timelapse forward by a couple of years. It might seems drastic, but I feel it's the only way that will make the story work. It won't happen in this chapter, though, and won't for a few chapters. Anyways, enjoy the next chapter!**

Kira awoke in the bedroom. She looked at the clock to see that it was already afternoon. She could feel, by shifting around under the bed covers, that she was naked, and happened to notice her clothing set on top of the dresser in front of the mirror. She sat up, rubbing her head.

"...Ahh... what happened...?" Kira asked, disoriented and slightly dizzy.

She sat rubbing her eyes and trying to shake the sleep out of her system. Then, she remembered...

"Oh... Aster." Kira said, standing to put her clothing back on.

Once she did, she went downstairs to find Aster trying to figure out how to use a tablet Kira had in the living room. He noticed her after she walked in.

"...Did you really use telepathic mind control on me again?" Kira asked.

" _Um..._ " Aster began, twittling his thumbs. " _...yes?_ "

Kira sighed. "Aster... you really gotta stop doing that." she said.

Aster made a hisslike laugh. " _I'm sorry, Kira. I just can't help it; it's just so much fun to see you pinged!_ " he said.

"Still... think about what could happen if Star walked in!" Kira said. "Speaking of which, is she still taking a nap?"

" _No, she woke up a little while later. She's in the basement watched television right now._ " Aster said.

"Hm." Kira said, nodded. "Speaking of which, I find it amazing how she's already a pretween after just a year!"

" _Why's that?_ " Aster asked. " _I remember being roughly her size at that age._ "

Kira smiled. "Still... where has the time gone...? It seems like she was born only yesterday..." she said.

" _And, it's good that you can communicate with her... because I don't think anyone else would've been able to._ " Aster said. " _When she's old enough, she would need more than just me to talk to._ "

"You're right." Kira said.

Kira was one of a small number of humans capable of receiving telepathic transmissions from Xenomorphs. This is because her brain naturally produces the same wavelengths as a Xenomorph. The small group of people who also have this characteristic have likely never been able to use it to communicate with Xenos, because they do not have human language as their native language.

And, being a mere carrier of this gift, Kira found her way to Aster by pure luck. Both of them knew that it had to be fate that brought them together. There was a force in the universe that knew they were meant to be.

"Well... I'm just gonna go and check on her." Kira said.

Kira found Star in the basement; she was laying on the couch, watching an old cartoon called _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ via the free on-demand function of Kira's TV service. She loved the show (and always had a hard time deciding if Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie was her favorite pony).

" _YEAH! SONIC RAINBOOM!_ " Star cheered after watching a scene. " _DASHIE DID A SONIC RAINBOOM!_ "

Kira smiled at her daughter enjoying herself, and watched her for a moment before returning upstairs.

"Well, she's doing quite well... as usual." Kira said.

" _Yeah, she's_ always _excited like that when you're not around, and for every little thing..._ " Aster said. " _...she may have my color... but she_ definitely _inherited your energy and enthusiasm._ "

Kira nodded. "Yep. She does remind me of myself quite a bit..." she said.

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

" _Who's that?_ " Aster asked.

"I'm not sure..." Kira said, narrowing her eyes as she walked to the door. "...I'm not expecting any visitors."

She saw someone standing through the frosted glass window of the door, and upon opening it... saw that it was a young man about her age, but a bit taller than her. He had light skin, broad shoulders, and dark, straight hair that fell to the base of his neck.

"Well, I figured I'd find you here!" he said.

Kira gasped upon realizing who he was. "KAI!" she said.

She immediately leaped at Kai and hugged him. He returned the hug to her.

"Hey, Kira." he said.

After a moment, Kira separated from him.

"It's so good to see you again, Kai!" Kira said. "Why'd you come back to Earth?"

Kai smiled. "I have my reasons. Actually, we've been back for a while. After meeting my brother and in-laws on the moon, me and Sugarcube spent about sixty sols on Mars before coming back. Really, Mars just wasn't for us..."

"Where's Sugarcube?" Kira asked. "Did she come with you?"

"No." Kai said. "I mean, she's here on Earth, but I just left her at home. I feel like I just need to give her some space; she's been kinda moody lately."

"Why?" Kira asked.

"Well..." Kai trailed off, his face flushing. "...kinda embarrassing. But, it has to do with her... libido..."

"She's in _heat_?" Kira said, chuckling. "Sounds like you're making her pretty restless, Kai... why are you keeping her waiting? Me and Aster have protected sex quite often!"

"Honestly... I can't handle how energetic she can be when it comes to things like that... and I'm too tired by the end of the day." Kai said.

"And... she hasn't tried telepathic hypnosis on you?" Kira asked.

"No, why...?" Kai asked.

Kira raised her eyebrows. Kai was able to quickly catch on...

"Kira, NO." Kai said. "Don't you dare give her any ideas... I'm not her personal sex slave!"

"...Well..." Kira began. "...you are now, lover boy!"

Kai was completely stunned, his face locked in a deep blush.

"Think of _Chase_!" he said.

"Oh, yeah! Almost forgot..." Kira said. "...how's Chase doing?"

"Oh, he's doing just fine." Kai said. "But _wow_ , does he love his video games..."

Kira giggled a bit as she imagined a Xenomorph that could actually play video games well. She remembered Aster trying it out one time, and he was _terrible_ , because the controller were too awkward for him.

" _Oh, Kai!_ " Aster suddenly said as he came up behind Kira. " _Well, it's been a while, hasn't it?_ "

"Hello, Aster." Kai said. "And... is Star around?"

"Yep!" Kira said. "She's in the basement."

"May I see her?" Kai asked.

"Totally!" Kira responded.

With that, she took Kai into the basement, where they found Star still laying on the sofa. Upon seeing him, Star paused the television.

"Well..." Kai said. "...you've gotten pretty big yourself, Star!"

Star tilted her head. " _Uh, Mom... who is this person?_ "

"Star, this is Kai Ripley." Kira said. "He's a friend of mine. You probably don't remember him, since you were a newborn when he last saw you."

Kai nodded. "It was a year ago... around the same time my son was born." he said.

" _Your son?_ " Star asked.

"Yeah. See..." Kai began. "...my mate is a female Xenomorph, kind of like you, but older. She and I had a son together at the same time you were born. He's a lot like you, Star, but he's male. His name's Chase."

" _Chase..._ " Star said, pondering.

"Again, you probably wouldn't remember him." Kira said.

"Well..." Kai said. "...I suppose it would be alright for them to meet. Give them a chance to get to know each other?"

"Then maybe we could arrange a little get-together with the families..." Kira asked.

" _Yeah! I would be nice to see Sugarcube again._ " Aster said.

" _I would love to see more of our kind!_ " Star said.

Kira happened to recall that she had tomorrow off as well. She knew her weekly schedule off the back of her hand.

"Okay, then it's settled!" Kira said. "I'll bring Aster and Star over to your house later tonight. How does that sound?"

"Perfect!" Kai said. "Glad I don't need to work tomorrow..."

"Oh, I've also been wondering..." Kira began. "...have you made it into the field you want to be in for WY?"

Kai shrugged. "Took a bit of effort, having been expelled and whatnot... but I managed to make it all work out. Second chances really pay off!" he said.

"Okay, so..." Kira spoke. "...I'll have the everyone ready to come over later this evening!"

"And I'll have everything prepared at my flat for all of us!" Kai said.

Kira walked with Kai back up the stairs, and stood at the door as he walked back out to his car.

"See ya real soon!" Kai said, waving.

"Yeah, later!" Kira responded, also waving.

After he drove off, Kira began to feel excited. She was glad that they would all have a chance to meet with each other again... and especially since Star would have the chance to meet with her old friends.

 _I have a feeling this will be a great night!_ She thought.

 **Starting off kinda slow, I know. But, if you think about it, that's kinda how the original was, too. Anyways, hope the buildup is good enough for all you guys. For now, though, I'll have to focus on school for the remainder of the week before I work on the next chapter. Keep holding on...**


	4. Ch 3 - Family Get-Together

**Alright, I'm back, and it's time for the two families to really get to know each other! So, without further ado, let's begin...**

Later that evening, Kira decided to bring Aster and Star with her to Kai's place. Because of the size of Xenomorphs, Kira had to buy a fairly large car that could hold them both before they moved out to their new home. Fortunately, Kai was living in a semi-secluded area. The region was definitely unincorporated.

"Okay, so you two need to be on your best behavior when we're visiting Kai and his family, okay?" Kira asked.

" _Yes, Mom._ " Star said.

" _It'll be just like the good old days we had._ " Aster said.

Soon enough, they made it to Kai's house, and they all walked up to the dimly-lit porch. Kira rang the doorbell, and Kai opened up the door for them.

"Ah, see you made it." Kai said, just before peering around. "Nobody's followed you?"

"Nope." Kira said.

"Good," Kai said. "c'mon inside!"

The three came into the house... and Kira happened to recall that she had never seen Kai's house before.

"Nice place..." Kira said, looking around.

"Thanks." Kai said. "I always try to keep my place of living modest."

At that moment... another Xenomorph appeared from the other room, and she happened to notice the guests.

" _Kai... are these..._ " she asked.

"Ah, Sugarcube." Kai said. "Yep, these are the surprise guests I mentioned!"

The female Xenomorph Drone immediately rushed for them, wrapping her arms around Kira.

" _It's so good to see you again, Kira!_ " Sugarcube said. " _Where have you been for the last year?_ "

"...N-ngh...!" Kira strained as Sugarcube was crushing her.

" _Oh... sorry._ " Sugarcube said, releasing her. " _I still don't know my own strength._ "

" _Hey, Sugarcube._ " Aster said.

Sugarcube turned her attention to the male Drone.

" _Aster!_ " she said, hugging him next. " _Hi, how are you?_ "

Slowly but surely, Aster returned the hug. " _...Been a while, hasn't it?_ "

" _It sure has!_ " Sugarcube said.

After a moment... she happened to notice Star, who was standing off to one side.

" _Star!?_ " Sugarcube asked in disbelief. " _My goodness, you've grown!_ "

" _Um... thanks?_ " Star said, on the spot.

" _Oh, right... you probably don't remember me._ " Sugarcube said. " _I'm Sugarcube Ripley, Kai's mate. He rescued me from an awful lab... one where they performed painful experiments on me nearly every day... and we escaped to a different planet, mated on the way... and I gave birth to our son... and... it was truly the happiest moment of my life..._ "

"Speaking of which..." Kira interjected. "...where _is_ Chase?"

"Oh, I'm sure he's playing on his XBOX Skyline upstairs..." Kai answered.

With that, all of them went up the stairs... and peered into a small rec room to find a young male Drone playing a video game.

" _Ha-ha! Take THAT, giant asteroid!_ " Chase said loudly at the game he was playing. " _And YOU, ya slimy tentacle alien monster! Think you're so clever... wait 'til I discombobulate you into the black hole!_ "

"Hey, Chase." Kai said.

" _Huh...?_ " Chase asked, looking away from the game, and then immediately looking back. " _GAH! Aw, Dad... you made me miss the Proton Pod!_ "

" _I think you've played enough_ Galactic Invaders: Interstellar Edition _for one day, young man..._ " Sugarcube said.

Chase sighed. " _Okay..._ " he said, switching off the console.

Kira and Aster stepped into the bedroom.

"Chase..." Kai said. "...these are the guests I mentioned would be coming over. This is Kira Sykes, a friend of mine from college... which, technically, still applies since we both somehow ended up in the same college once again."

"Small world, right?" Kira said. "And you probably don't remember me, Chase; you were only a day old when I last saw you."

Sugarcube stepped over towards Chase, off to his side, and motioned towards Aster.

" _And this is Kira's mate, Aster._ " she said. " _He is a Xenomorph, just like you and me... and we both came from the same research lab._ "

Aster approached Chase, kneeling down to his level.

" _How's it goin', big guy?_ " Aster said. " _You were just a baby when we first met!_ "

" _N-nice to meet you..._ " Chase said, a bit on the spot by the sudden fact that he was seeing more of his kind.

At that moment, Star entered the room, and it took a moment for Chase to notice her. He immediately stood upright at the sight of her, tapping Sugarcube's leg to get his mother's attention.

" _...Who is_ she _?_ " Chase asked, pointing to Star.

Sugarcube smiled. " _Chase, that is Star. She's the daughter of Kira and Aster. She's only older than you by a few seconds! So, you are both the same age._ " she said.

" _...U-uh..._ " Chase stammered, hiding behind his mother's legs.

" _Don't hide, sweetie!_ " Sugarcube said, chuckling as she pulled him out from behind her and right in front of Star. " _Say hi!_ "

Star stepped forward, and right in front of a very nervous Chase.

Chase fidgeted with his hands a bit. " _...W-well... um... h... h-hi..._ " he uttered.

" _It's okay! I don't bite..._ " Star said.

" _...Uh... y-yeah... um... I-I... ah..._ " Chase could not get himself to speak correctly.

He turned his head away, folding his hands in front of himself while hunching his shoulders. Star giggled. Kira was giggling a bit as well.

 _He's so shy..._ Kira thought. _...how cute._

They all went downstairs and had a dinner of pizza and salad; Kai had prepared beforehand and ordered it. All of them thoroughly enjoyed the food, eating pretty much all of it. After that, they all played some games like _Catchphrase_ , _Mad Gab_ , _Telestrations_ , and others. Sure, they were fairly old games, but still fun nonetheless. Everybody had fun. Although...

...whenever Chase got paired up with Star for certain games, he still found it hard to try and speak to her. Always getting a little tongue-tied (or brain-tied, in the case of a Xenomorph), Star struggled to interpret what he was trying to tell her, but she always found it kind of funny.

However, Kira seemed to know what was going on around here...

"I really don't know why Chase is so shy around Star..." Kai said.

Kira chuckled. "...Looks like Chase's got a li'l ol' _crush_ on Star..." she said.

Kai raised a brow. "Think so...?" he asked.

"Trust me, Kai..." Kira said. "...I've seen the signs from him. He definitely interested in Star."

"I don't know about this..." Kai said. "...aren't they a little... young for this kind of thing?"

Kira shrugged. "Maybe for now, but when they grow up a little more..." she trailed off.

" _You say something, Mom?_ " Star asked.

"Oh, it's nothing, sweetie." Kira said.

Soon, it became fairly late, and it was time for the Sykes' to head home. Kai and Sugarcube both started to clean up the kitchen and dining room.

"Well, tonight was fun!" Kira said.

" _It was really nice to meet all of you!_ " Star said on their way out.

" _Wait!_ " Chase said, catching them before they left.

He stopped right in front of Star, and nervously pressed his index fingertips together.

" _...Um... S-Star..._ " he began. " _...you... um... you'll come back... r-right...?_ "

" _Yeah, totally!_ " Star said. " _You might not be much of a talker... but I like you!_ "

Chase brought his head back upright, and a big smile appeared on his face. He started nervously chuckling, trying to force words once again, all coming out as gibberish. Star giggled to herself again.

 _Why is it so cute when he does that...?_ she thought.

"Well, we hope to see you all again soon!" Kira said.

" _Yeah, it was nice to meet some old friends again._ " Aster said.

"Hey, Chase!" Kai called from the other room. "Could you get all of the pizza boxes and put them in the garbage can outside?"

Chase snapped back to reality, turning in the direction he heard his father.

"Yes, Dad!" Chase said. "I'll do it right now!"

Moments later, Kira, Aster, and Star were all back in their car, pulling out of Kai's driveway. On the way back, Star's mind was racing... and yet she did not know why. All she could think about was Chase. Sure it was nice to meet Sugarcube... but something about Chase seemed really set-apart from it all. In a good way, that is.

 _He is a bit shy... but he's definitely a sweet guy._ Star thought. _Hope we can visit them again, soon! I look forward to seeing Chase again!_

 **Well, I hope it's getting interesting for a buildup. Again, sorry that I haven't been updating too frequently. Hopefully, it should start coming faster soon, since my summer class ends in about two weeks from now. So, keep in check for more to come! See you all later! Keep holding on...**


	5. Ch 4 - Hopes and Dreams

**Hey, everyone! Sorry about the wait, but with school and work getting in the way, as well as my brother being absolutely ADDICTED to my gaming computer in my bedroom, and having to help my father with a landscaping project, I have suffered from a bit of Writer's Block. However, I do have a laptop, so I try to leave my bedroom when I can to work on this story. Hopefully, my brother will be leaving to head off to a university for the fall semester, and I hope we'll be done with landscaping by then, leaving me free to get my peace and zen. Anyways, hopefully this half-assed chapter isn't so bad...**

Shortly after Kira, Aster, and Star left to head back home, Kai, Sugarcube, and Chase all cleaned the house up following their night of fun. Shortly after they finished, Chase went up to his room, where he promptly fell asleep. Kai and Sugarcube, meanwhile, were watching television in their bedroom.

" _Y'know, Kai..._ " Sugarcube began. " _...Chase is asleep. So, why don't we have a little... special time with each other?_ "

Kai raised a brow. "How so...?"

" _Well..._ " the female Xenomorph began, shifting herself to lay on her side. " _...I've been feeling fairly... tense, lately..._ "

Sugarcube put her uppermost leg straight upwards momentarily, and then brought it down at a ninety-degree bend atop the other leg.

" _...maybe you could give me... some nice_ therapy _for my_ sooore leeeegs _and_ feeeet _...?_ " she said.

She then brought her arm facing downward up to her head region, and rested her elbow on the bed with the side of her head against her hand.

Kai's rational thinking was being completely overriden.

 _Goddamn..._ he thought. _...why does she have to be So. Damn. Sexy?_

Compared to Xenos like Aster, who looked just like a regular Drone, except for his male parts, Sugarcube had a far more curvy, feminine appearance. Her breasts... her buttocks... she _most definitely_ looked female from a distance.

Kai definitely felt willing to give Sugarcube what she wanted at this point.

"...Alright..." Kai said. "...I'll give it my best shot."

" _What do you mean, your 'best shot'?_ " Sugarcube asked.

"Well... see, Sugar... I'm not a masseur. I've never massaged anyone's feet or legs before..." he said.

Sugarcube smiled. " _That's okay, honey... just do what you know... it'll be better than nothing..._ "

Kai sat up, and walked over to Sugarcube's side of the bed. She hung her feet over the side, and those feet...

... _those feet_. Kai was immediately becoming hormonal at the mere sight of them. He could only wonder what rubbing them was going to be like, yet he would find out in just a few seconds.

He began to rub Sugarcube's feet in a way that he assumed would be effective for a massage, and the effect was nearly immediate; Sugarcube leaned backwards, letting out a pleasured croon.

" _...Ohhh, Kai..._ " she said. " _...ahh... this is... sooo good... oh, your hands... they're like magic..._ "

Sugarcube purred in delight as Kai continued to rub her feet. Already, Kai had quite a deep flush covering nearly his entire body, and he definitely had quite a hard-on in his tousers, which was pulsing and felt extremely good. Sugarcube was also quite turned on by the footrub she was getting.

After a little while, Kai decided to conclude Sugarcube's massage once he felt like it was good enough for her.

"Feel better...?" Kai asked.

" _Y-yeah... well... u-um..._ " Sugarcube said, placing her hands on her lower belly and crotch.

She let out a whimper. Kai stood up upon hearing the sound of discomfort from his mate.

"What's the matter, Sugar-Babe?" Kai asked.

" _Well, see, I..._ " Sugarcube trailed off, just before falling to her knees with her face to the floor, grabbing onto Kai's ankles. " _...PLEASE, Kai! Please just give me relief! You have NO IDEA how badly I need it!_ "

"Uh..." Kai tried to avoid the situation that he instantly became aware of. "...what do you want me to do?"

" _I wanna MATE, Kai! Please! I'm suffering... I'm in_ pain _..._ " she pleaded. " _...my sexual organs are on FIRE, and I need you to put them out! Please... I'm begging... just one night..._ "

 _Wow... her Estrous cycle is uncontrollable._ Kai thought.

"Well..." Kai began. "...w-when you put it that way... I guess... well... I mean, it was nice to give you a footrub and all, so..."

Sugarcube smiled. _Bingo... I've got him under my thumb, now. Or rather... under my_ pussy _..._ She thought, chuckling.

She then pulled Kai over onto the bed with her tail, making him fall into a laying position right next to her.

" _So then... if you liked what you did just now..._ " Sugarcube said, pulling Kai closer. " _...then let's turn it up a few notches, shall we...?_ "

She stuck her secondary mouth out at Kai's face, lightly opening and closing it at a fast pace.

"Sugar, c'mon..." Kai said. "...no need for kissy-face..."

" _I_ like _KISSY-FACE!_ " Sugarcube said.

 _Jeez... her mood swings are_ definitely _not relenting anytime soon._ Kai thought.

Her rapidly-changing emotions were causing a bit of turnoff for him.

"Look... Sugarcube..." Kai began. "...I think it's best... if... if we take it slow... okay?"

Sugarcube was about to become disappointed once more... but she happened to recall Kira mentioning how Aster has sometimes used telepathic hypnosis on her, and she remembered using it on Kai when they first mated. This gave her an idea...

While Kai continued to try and protest against Sugarcube's wants... she began to bombard him with her telepathy. It took a moment to take effect, but Kai closed his eyes as his expression became fairly free of concern.

"Ohhh..." Kai said, bringing his hands up to his head.

Sugarcube smirked. " _...What's the matter, Kai?_ " she asked in a conspicuous tone.

"Ah..." Kai uttered with his hands still on his head. "...I feel weird..."

He continued to get lost in the feeling as he was entering a euphoric state. He was not exactly sure what was happening... but it felt really good. However, something crept into his mind. Something that happened a year ago on their first trip to Mars...

"Wait..." Kai said, struggling to stay in control. "...S-Sugar... cube... are... y... you... do... ing... th... th..."

He could not say any more; he opened his eyes to reveal his heavily-dilated pupils with greenish haze in them as a pleasant expression filled his face. His consciousness had been fully replaced with Sugarcube's telepathic thought.

Native Xenomorphs often used telepathic brainwashing as a means of subduing their prey. They would use it to put said prey into a heavy trance, or even cause them to fall asleep, and then move in for the kill while they are unable to escape. But of course, genetically-modified Xenomorphs like Sugarcube and Aster had no intention of using it for malevolent purposes.

" _Now, my love..._ " Sugarcube said. " _...do you want to mate with me?_ "

"...Yes, my love..." Kai responded, still under trance.

With that, the two proceeded to shut all of the curtains, and lock the windows and doors, completely isolating the bedroom for their... special night...

(XXXX)

Chase was still sleeping in his bedroom downstairs, on the other side of the house... and he was having a very pleasant dream. It started off bland, but got better...

He was standing in the middle of a field with knee-deep, golden grass. The sky was fairly cloudy, and everything looked fairly dull.

" _Where am I...?_ " Chase wondered.

For all he could tell, the field stretched out beyond what his photoreception could pick up. But then, he heard something...

" _Chaaaaaaaaase...!_ " came the voice of a girl.

Looking behind him where it came from, Chase saw a young female Xenomorph rushing for him, as if in slow motion, and the clouds above her dissipated as she passed, as well as flowers instantly blooming on the grass in her wake. A large smile appeared on Chase's face.

" _Star!_ " he said.

It was indeed the same Xenomorph girl he met earlier that evening. She spread her arms, as if rushing over to hug him, a big smile on her face. Chase spread out his own arms, ready to catch her. And he did; the two wrapped their arms around each other, as well as wrapping their tails together. As this happened, butterflies flew out from under the flowers. Birds soared through the air. A rainbow appeared in the sky after the clouds had fully dissipated.

" _Oh, Chase..._ " Star said. " _...I don't ever want to leave your arms._ "

" _And I never want to stop holding you close to me..._ " Chase responded.

A pink glow enveloped the two, and a column of light appeared around them. Slowly, they both began to levitate into the air, their bodies facing downward, but holding each others' hands and maintaining eye-level (or head-level) with each other.

" _Chase..._ "

" _Star..._ "

Both of them slowly stuck out their secondary mouths... slowly moving them towards each other... ready to make contact...

(XXXX)

Chase awoke to notice sunlight streaming through his bedroom blinds. He felt saddened all of a sudden.

" _Aww... it was just a dream..._ " Chase said to himself, hanging his head down. " _...when will I be able to tell Star how I feel about her?_ "

He stood up, opened his blinds, and looked out the window.

" _I know me and Star are meant to be..._ " Chase said, staring at the sky.

(XXXX)

Star woke up herself. Like Chase, she was saddened as well... but it was because she happened to have quite a similar dream as well.

" _Well... it may take a while for him to open up..._ " she thought. " _...but I know he can do it._ "

Though she was sad that it was just a dream, just experiencing it left something of a happy feeling inside of her for the day to come...

 **Sorry; no lemons at the start! I'm gonna save it for a later point in the story between two _other_ characters. However... I'm sure you can imagine that Sugarcube had her way with Kai... XD. Anyways, sorry about the long wait, but I have had bad Writer's Block, and have been very busy. But don't assume that I will abandon this fic! I care about you guys too much! So, thank you all for your patience, and I will return with more! See you soon! Keep holding on...**


	6. Ch 5 - SORIA

**Well, I've finally finished my summer class! So that means I have the remainder of summer to look forward to! Hopefully, this will allow me ample time and energy to put out more chapters for the story, and hopefully they are not as poor as the last few. We still have a landscaping project going on, my brother won't stop playing on my gaming PC (speaking of which, I've been obsessed with _The Witcher III: The Wild Hunt_ ; yeah, I know I'm a couple years late), so I'll keep trying to make time for you guys!**

In the months that had passed, Sugarcube had taken to putting Kai under her spell quite often to fulfill her sexual needs with him. Of course, she always made sure they used protection. Eventually, Kai conceded, and agreed to compromise with Sugarcube, so long as she would not use her psychic abilities to take advantage of him, and only doing it occasionally.

The Sykes and Ripleys had been visiting each other for game nights quite often, and never once getting caught by anyone. Over time, Chase was starting to become more comfortable around Star, but it took a bit of time for him to do so. Overall, they had become extremely great friends.

Star and Chase had grown extremely rapidly in just a short amount of time. In less than three years following their births, they were already nearing their adult size, but still slightly smaller than Aster and Sugarcube. However, they were still nowhere close to aging to death, since Kira and Kai knew that these genetically-altered Xenomorphs had an average lifespan of about 80-100 years, typically equivalent of a modern human.

Also, Kira had begun her training as an apprentice researcher for WY, and they were prepping her for future space missions. Kai was also going through a similar program as her. Both of them were quite eager to go back into space. They might even get to do spacewalks for maintenance and equipment installation.

However, there was a different focus of events at the moment. Today happened to be Kira's birthday. She, Aster, and Star were all spending the day together, baking a cake, watching movies, and playing games with each other.

" _I really wish we could get you some gift, Kira._ " Aster said.

" _Yeah. Sorry we can't do what you do for us, Mom..._ " Star added.

Kira smiled. "It's okay; it's the thought that matters."

They had continued watching a movie, until they heard the doorbell ring. Kira paused the movie.

"I'll get it." she said. "You two stay hidden, just in case!"

Kira arrived at the front door, and opened it to see Kai had arrived at her house.

"Oh! Hey, Kai!" she said.

"Hey, Kira!" Kai responded. "Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks!" Kira said. "Anyways, what's up?"

"Well, I heard that today was your birthday, and I decided to get you a little gift." he said.

Kira's eyes lit up. "Really? You actually went out of your way to do something for me?"

Kai nodded. "It's in my car, so... I'll just pull it out and bring it up." he said.

With that, he went to his car, and from his trunk... he hauled out a large box, about a cubic meter. Kira's eyes widened immensely at it.

"Sorry I didn't wrap it." Kai said.

Kira was still shocked for a moment. "Never mind there not being any wrapping... what _is_ it!?" she asked.

"Oh, it's something that I'm sure you'll find _very_ helpful for your work... and for casual purposes, too." Kai said.

Once Kai had managed to carry the box into Kira's house (he had to stop and catch his breath, just because it was a bit heavy), the two opened it up to reveal a monitor, accompanied by a very wicked-looking housing unit containing multiple motherboards.

"What is it?" Kira asked. "Some kind of computer?"

"Not a typical computer you could find over the counter." Kai said. "This, Kira, is a Supercalculative-Operations and Rapid-Intelligence Apparatus, or 'SORIA' for short. It is a compact supercomputer designed by WY, and equipped with artificial intelligence; it is supposed to be a personal digital assistant. This one is probably the best available on the market, and it's the most popular."

"SORIA..." Kira repeated. "...never heard of it. How much did this thing cost?"

"Don't worry about the price, Kira." Kai said. "I just bought it via credit, so an added plus in my favor is that it'll help build my credit score. It won't take a huge chunk outta my pocket. Besides, I got a pretty large bonus from my work, and I figured you should have something cutting-edge... 'cause, well, I've got enough tech at my place."

While Kira, Aster, and Star watched, Kai assembled the machine right in front of them. He attached the monitor to the housing, calibrated the motion wheels at the base of the unit, set the carbon nanotube battery into its place, and so on.

" _Mom... what is Kai doing?_ " Star asked.

"He's putting together this... computerized assistant." Kira said.

" _Well... what do you plan to use it for?_ " Aster asked.

Kira shrugged. "I'm not sure yet..." she answered.

Kai finally finished assembling the SORIA unit after nearly a quarter of an hour.

"Well, she's all ready to go." Kai said, stepping aside. "I'll let you have the honor of activating your birthday present, Kira..."

Kira stepped forward, examined the device, and then slowly pressed the power button on the front. After listening to the motherboards power up, the screen came on with a cyan WY logo against a black background that had a gray blur in the mid-portion of the screen.

" _Greetings, patron of Weyland-Yutani._ " SORIA spoke in a female voice that sounded somewhat metallic with a hint of reverb. " _I am the artificial intelligence protocol of your SORIA unit. Before I can begin helping you with whatever task you require of me, we must first go through the setup process._ "

Kira narrowed her eyes and hunched forward as she looked at the machine.

"You've gotta be kidding me..." she said. "...it _talks_?"

Kai nodded. "Like I said, artificial intelligence is one of her core functions."

Kira sighed. "Now I know how all the Windows 10 users felt about Cortana back in the old days..." she said.

" _Now administering user analysis._ " SORIA spoke. " _Please hold still and maintain a neutral facial expression during the scanning process._ "

While Kira stood still, watching herself on the screen from the camera, SORIA scanned Kira using said camera to register her identity as a primary user. It did this for a few moments, before it eventually stopped.

" _Scanning process complete._ " SORIA said. " _Please state your first and last name aloud._ "

"...Kira Sykes?" Kira said.

" _Confirmed._ " SORIA said, displaying Kira's name in text on the screen. " _You have identified yourself as 'Kira Sykes'. Is this correct?_ "

"Yes." Kira answered.

" _Confirmed. Do you wish for me to address you by your first name?_ " SORIA asked.

"Sure?" Kira answered.

" _Confirmed._ " SORIA said.

"Are we done with the whole setup thing?" Kira asked.

" _We are, Kira._ " SORIA answered. " _As my primary user, you are free to ask me anything that your require of me, so long as it falls under the constraints of my parameters of computational instruction sets._ "

"Uh... could you dumb that down for me?" Kira asked.

" _I can serve you in a number of ways regarding computer systems._ " SORIA said. " _I can remotely access your computer files, help you send an email, browse the internet for answers to your questions, perform number-crunching of large data piles, decrypt and access firewalls (recommended to be done in a manner of ethical hacking), and remotely access computerized mainframes._ "

" _So... this thing can help you with work?_ " Aster asked. " _How so?_ "

To everyone's surprise, SORIA answered Aster, as if she heard his question.

" _I can perform calculations and distributive commands at a rate of five-hundred petaFLOPS, aiding a user in the creation of programs or performing scientific analysis for experimentation. As such, I am programmed to assist a user in scientific purposes as well as computerized work and personal, casual usage._ " SORIA said.

"Wait..." Kira began. "...how can you understand Aster?"

"Oh, yeah, forgot to mention..." Kai said. "...I've modified this particular unit. I've installed a special receiver, which WY used to monitor Xenomorph telepathy, so that means this particular SORIA unit can understand Aster and Star, as well as other Xenos like them, just as easily as you and I do."

"Wow... that's pretty nifty, Kai! And thoughtful!" Kira said.

" _You have identified the Xenomorph telepathic transmission belonging to one called 'Aster'. Is this how you wish for me to address this individual?_ " SORIA asked.

"Yes." Kira answered.

" _Confirmed._ " SORIA answered.

"Well... hope you find her to be very useful!" Kai said. "I'm sure that, in some ways, you can't do without her!"

"Heh heh..." Kira chuckled. "...I'll keep that in mind. Anyways, thanks for the gift, Kai!"

"You're welcome, Kira." Kai said. "Anyways, I've gotta get going. I don't wanna be late for the space symposium at the university later on!"

"Well, nice of you to stop by, like always!" Kira said.

"Yeah, well... I hope you're all in the mood for game night later in the month! Sugarcube and Chase are always eager as ever!" Kai said.

"Trust me, we _always_ look forward to it!" Kira said.

"Well, see ya!" Kai said, just before he went out the door.

Kira watched as he drove off... and happened to notice yet another newspaper on the stoop of her porch. She picked it up without unfolding it.

"Meh, non-subscriber newspapers..." Kira uttered to herself. "...why do they still print these things? We have the _internet_ , for crying out loud!"

Kira discarded the paper into the outdoor trash bin and went back inside the house... but did not bother to open and look at it for even a moment, which contained a very important highlighted event... on the _headline_ , no less, which was revealed as it opened in the garbage can.

 _-INMATES ESCAPED FROM ARES COLONY PRISON-_

 _On the night of April 22nd, 2096 (Terra Standard Time), an Ares System prisoner, former doctor Hugh Meyers, aged 53, executed a carefully-planned-out strategy to escape from the Remus Colony prison on Mars, after spending nearly 1,000 sols serving his sentence._

 _The inmate was accompanied by his cellmate, life-sentence inmate Stephen Baldwin, aged 61, during the escape. On their way out, the two incapacitated a pair of guards in a blind spot, stole their uniforms and equipment, and shaved their beards (which they had grown out during their stay) in order to blend in for the escape._

 _The location of the escapees is currently unknown. All Sol System police are on the lookout for the pair of fugitives. They are considered armed and dangerous. Police urge Ares civilians in particular to be watchful for these two, and to report any sightings of them._

 **Well... this might not be a good thing. If anything happens, will SORIA be of any help? Guess we'll have to find out later on. Again, sorry that I'm not around to upload too often, but all of you supporting me really helps to motivate me. So, I'll keep delivering for you all! I promise! Keep holding on...**


	7. Ch 6 - Need a Flatmate?

**Well, back once again with a new chapter to fill the setup in the story's opening phase. I hope it's not too boring at this point! If there's anything you guys think I should do better, feel free to let me know. I'm always willing to improve my writing!**

 **I would have posted this sooner, but I unfortunately encountered an Error Type 2 on the website that I had no control over, and it took a while to get resolved.**

"...Okay, SORIA, this part is _extremely_ important..." Kira said. "...I need your support."

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA responded. " _First, pour one cup of white flour into a bowl._ "

"White flour...? But I... don't have any of that around here." Kira responded.

" _The requisite ingredients for this recipe are lacking if this is the case. Would you like me to look up a different one?_ " SORIA asked.

"No." Kira answered, looking through her cupboards. "I might not do a lot of baking... but that just means we have to be flexible... ah! Here it is!"

Kira pulled out a sealed bag and held it up.

" _Kira, that is dried oatmeal._ " SORIA stated.

"I know." Kira responded. "Tell me how to make pancakes using oatmeal!"

SORIA remained silent for a moment, set aside the faint, rapid beeping while the word " _SEARCHING..._ " appeared on her screen. This went for a few seconds, before a faint buzzer sound went off, followed by the word " _-ERROR-_ " appearing on her screen.

" _I find nothing in my database matching that ingredient to any variant of the same recipe._ " SORIA finally said.

Kira sighed impatiently. "Are you serious...? It's practically the same thing! Just substitute powdered oat for the flour!" she said.

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA said. " _Please specify which grade of oat you wish to use._ "

"...Oh, come on!" Kira said. "I just want something to eat! Do you know what it's like to be starving?"

SORIA was silent for a moment. " _...I do not, Kira. Only living beings are capable of experiencing hunger._ "

Kira sighed once again. "I guess I'll go out to grab something to eat..."

" _Repetitive sighing; a possible symptom of cardiac neurosis, often caused by fatigue._ " SORIA said. " _The recommended treatment includes use of drugs such as beta blockers or a sedative._ "

"Great... you're a nurse too, huh?" Kira said.

" _No, Kira. I have no license in the medical field; I am merely cross-checking all possible symptoms with an online disease and disorder database._ " SORIA answered.

 _God... she is way more annoying than helpful..._ Kira thought.

"Look..." she began. "...I have a favor to ask: please don't talk anymore unless I ask you to, okay? Just sit there like a rock."

" _Yes, Kira._ " SORIA answered with no hesitation or resentment. " _However, my composition is approximately eighty-two percent of petroleum-processed materials, including aluminum, steel, silicon, copper, and polymers. Due to my ten-percent mineral base, I would not make for a convincing rock._ "

"Also... no need for big, fancy words." Kira said. "I'm not a robot."

" _Yes, Kira. There is a ninety-percent probability that you are human._ " SORIA said. " _Would you like me to administer a reCAPTCHA test to confirm this theory?_ "

"...Never mind. You can get back to me on that other ten percent later." Kira said. "I'm just gonna head out and grab some lunch. Oh, and I think I'll need to stop by the university's administration center to check on a few things."

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA said. " _Would you like for me to monitor your residence and report any intruders that may enter via text messages to your cell phone?_ "

"Yeah, sure, whatever..." Kira said, just before grabbing her keys and heading out the door.

She went out to a fast food restaurant and ordered some things from the drive through. She got a meal for herself, as well as some lunch for Aster and Star. Hopefully, Kira thought, Aster was able to keep Star entertained for long stretches of time; she always worried about them being too bored whenever she was out.

Kira stopped at the university administration building to see if she was currently up to speed on getting her Bachelor's degree, and to see what other classes she would require. From what she found out, everything was going well, and her counselor offered her some additional internship opportunities as well as extracurricular activity options if she was interested.

Just as she was about to head out, a girl approached her.

" 'Scuse me..." she said. "...sorry to bother you, but... um... are you, by chance, willing to take a roommate at the moment? Or flatmate?"

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Well... see..." the girl began. "...with my current situation, I need a bit of financial assistance to get myself back on my feet."

"Uh..." Kira began. "...who are you, exactly?"

"Oh, sorry..." the girl said. "...name's Sam."

"I'm Kira." Kira responded.

"So, Kira... I know that it's all out-of-the-blue and whatnot, but... is there any way you could take a roommate, or flatmate... like, now-ish?" Sam asked.

Had Kira never met Aster, she probably would have accepted, given how isolated she would probably be from living alone. However...

"Um... I really can't say. I would like to have a flatmate, but... there's some things that... complicate matters." Kira said.

Sam sighed and hung her head down. "For real...? Isn't there anyone who can take me in right away?"

"Look, Sam..." Kira said. "...it's not that I don't _want_ to have a flatmate; I think it would be great to have one! The thing is... I've had a bit of a... situation that really wouldn't make it ideal for me to accept a flatmate right now."

"Please!" Sam begged. "My parents won't take me back under their roof! And I have nowhere else to go! Nobody else wants to take me in for a short while, and I can't afford full rent with my current job, so... could you please help me until I'm ready to go on my own way?"

Kira sighed. "...Alright. I guess there's no point in protesting. Sure, you can stay with me, but..."

She looked around to see if anyone would be listening.

"...first, tell me if you can keep a secret." Kira finished.

"Yeah, sure." Sam said. "Whatever it is, my lips are sealed."

"No," Kira said. "I mean like a _big_ secret. Bigger than everything you've ever had to handle, I'm sure."

"How big?" Sam asked.

"As in 'the-government-will-come-and-take-it-from-me-if-word-gets-out' type of thing." Kira said. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you what it was. I would have to show you, but you need to promise that you won't tell anyone!"

"Okay!" Sam said.

"Swear it!" Kira demanded.

"Alright, jeez..." Sam said. "...I won't care if it's the Hope Diamond you've taken! All I need is a place to stay!"

"Okay... just know that I'm trusting you on this one, okay?" Kira said.

"Got it." Sam said. "Also, is it okay if I check out your flat before I move in?"

Kira went silent for a brief moment as the blood drained from her face.

"...O-okay..." she stammered.

"You alright?" Sam asked.

"...Yeah..." Kira answered.

With that being said and done, Kira drove her car over to where Sam had parked hers, and Sam drove close behind Kira back to her house just a short distance away from the campus. They both parked at the curb on the side of the street Kira's place was at.

"Woah..." Sam said after seeing the house. "...this is where you live?"

"Yep." Kira said. "Being a paid intern can really pay off."

So, Kira decided to show Sam the interior of the house, and right off the bat, SORIA rolled her way over to the two as they entered the house.

" _Greetings, Kira._ " SORIA began. " _I see that you have brought a visitor along with you._ "

"So, Ms. Super Robot," Kira began. "were you able to keep the place secure while I was out and about?"

" _Yes, Kira. But I am not a Super Robot._ " SORIA said. " _I am a conventional personal assistance terminal._ "

"Woah, _sick_!" Sam said in awe. "Is that a SORIA unit? Lucky! How did you get one of those?"

"It was... a gift." Kira said.

"Well, whoever gave out the dough for this thing... they gotta be the nicest person in the world!" Sam remarked.

" _Kira? What's going on?_ " came Aster's voice in Kira's head. " _Who is that?_ "

Kira quickly felt her entire body freeze. She had forgotten about him and Star momentarily.

"So..." Sam said. "...you got a pretty nice place. Mind if I check out the rest?"

She began to make her way down the stairs into the basement... where Kira sensed that Aster and Star were both hiding.

"U-uh... w-w-well, I..." Kira stammered.

Once Sam had entered the basement, the first thing she saw... were the two black extraterrestrial beings... staring right back at the visitor who froze in utter shock at what she saw before her...

 **Oh, jeez... it's Hailey all over again, isn't it? We'd better hope not! Anyways, thanks for bearing with me on the slow, and somewhat improbable, setup portion of the story. I hope that the newer substance that I introduce later on will be more intriguing. So stay tuned for more to come! Keep holding on...**


	8. Ch 7 - A Bold Risk

**Well, I don't have much to say... other than a new chapter has arrived!**

Kira rushed into the basement to find Sam frozen in complete surprise.

"U-uh... K-K-Kir-ra..." she stammered.

"Sam..." Kira said. "...like I said earlier... can you keep a secret?"

Sam looked at her. " _This_ is what you wanted me to keep secret!? Are you out of your flippin' MIND!?"

"Look, you really need to trust me... they're not aggressive!" Kira said. "They're actually a lot like you and me!"

"What does that even MEAN!?" Sam asked. "These things... they're _Xenos_! They live to KILL!"

"But Aster has been genetically-engineered with human DNA, and it's made them docile!" Kira said.

"Aster? You seriously _named_ them?" Sam said.

"Why wouldn't I? Aster's my mate... and the little one, Star, is my... daughter." Kira said.

Sam looked like she had just finished watching a circus freak-show.

"Uh... say what now?" she asked.

"It's true..." Kira said. "...Aster escaped from the lab he was at, where they performed torturous experiments on him, and he found me, specifically because... I was the only one who could understand what he says."

"What do you mean...?" Sam asked.

Kira cleared her throat. "Turns out that my brainwaves are identical to a Xenomorph's. It is a rare trait, but some people in the past have exhibited it, and the few who may have come across Xenomorphs, however... might not have been able to hear what they were saying, since native Xenos don't speak in any Earth languages."

"From weird to weirder in a manner of seconds..." Sam said.

"After a little while, we both came to be quite fond about each other... and I learned that I love Aster. I know it sounds weird, but it's the truth! It took me almost losing him to realize it! A short time after that, we... kinda..." Kira blushed. "...'went-at-it' with each other... and on the following day, there was an embryo developing inside me rapidly... and I didn't even notice until it started birthing on _it's own_."

"So... that's where..." Sam look at the Xenos. "...Star, is it... comes in?"

Kira nodded. "And ever since then, we've been living in peace and isolation, and I do whatever I can to keep them happy."

"But HOW are you so fine-and-dandy with the fact that you are the mate and mother of a pair of _monstrous aliens_!?" Sam said.

Kira looked at the floor while fidgeting with her leg.

"...I guess I could say that I've always had a knack for making non-human friends..." Kira said.

Sam raised a brow. "What do ya mean...?" she asked.

"When I was little, I was really shy and never wanted to interact with other students at school." Kira said. "It was always awkward for another person whom I was paired up with during certain activities."

"Sounds kinda like my li'l bro..." Sam said, obviously still very uncomfortable.

Kira continued: "By the time I entered middle school, I had fantasies about meeting the perfect guy. Of course, I was still pretty young, and under the whole 'dreams-do-come-true' illusion thanks to all the fairytales I was exposed to as a kid. Hell, I always thought I would be a princess when I grew up, and that I would marry a 'Prince Charming' sort of guy, and have our own castle. But still... I avoided people like the plague, which always led me to disappointment that I could never find a guy who returned my feelings. I always found myself getting along with animals better for some reason.

"Most of the time, I spent my free time in an empty park near my house... and there was always this stray dog that was wandering around. A black Labrador. After being careful with approaching him, I found out that he was actually quite gentle. He really loved to lick my hand and face. He didn't have a collar, so I assumed he was a stray. I named him Licorice. I would always carry a plastic bag at dinner sneak a portion of my food away with it, and give it to him whenever I visited the park after eating.

"After a little while, though, Licorice disappeared... and I didn't see him ever again. Needless to say, I was quite sad... and I hoped that he ended up with a good household, since my parents didn't want any pets in the house. But still, whenever we visited places with animals, like dogs, cats, horses, et cetera... my parents always remarked that I had a special gift with animals."

"Okay..." Sam said.

"So, what I'm trying to ask..." Kira began. "...could you just give me a chance to show you what they're like?"

"...W-well..." Sam stammered. "...I-I guess..."

"Okay. And Sam... please try to keep an open mind. I _promise_ that they're not dangerous." Kira reassured.

Sam took a breath. "Alright..." she said.

With that, she started taking shaky steps towards the Xenos, and Star slowly approached her. Sam tilted her head slightly to examine the female Drone. Star did the same, almost mirroring her movement. Then, Star brought her head down a bit closer to Sam, and the human girl hesitantly raised her hand, reaching for the Xenomorph's head. She was extremely nervous about touching Star, and held back a few inches, but then Star leaned forward and nudged her hand.

Star crooned softly as she nuzzled her head into Sam's hand, and even started purring. Sam herself slowly began to rub Star's head as her eyes widened in surprise.

" _Ahh... this feels nice..._ " Star said.

Kira smiled. "...I think Star's taken a liking to you." she said.

"Wow..." Sam said. "...she _is_ pretty nice. Heh, she's almost like a cat!"

Aster stepped forward.

" _Hey, don't_ I _get a turn?_ " he asked, even though it was apparent that Sam could not hear neither him nor Star.

Sam shifted her eyes toward Aster as he knelt down with the top of his head facing her. She started rubbing his head as well, and he folded his hands while pressing her hand to his head. Petting both of the Xenos, and seeing them behave like common pets, was something that Sam found to be quite cute... even though she knew deep down that these creatures were meant to be feared. Regardless, she was not scared anymore.

Sam was effectively calmed down... especially with a bit of help from Aster, telepathically reducing her brain's stress-induced waves through mild hypnosis while she was petting both of them. Kira merely watched, overtaken by how adorable her mate and daughter were behaving.

Eventually, Sam returned to reality, and looked back at Kira.

"Wow..." she said. "...never imagined that Xenos would be so... nice."

"Yeah. Pretty cool, aren't they?" Kira asked.

"Totally!" Sam agreed. "So... you still want me as a flatmate? I promised I wouldn't tell anyone, and I'll keep that promise."

"Okay. But... could I get that in writing in our flatmate agreement?" Kira asked.

Both of them laughed.

"Well, if it's alright with you... I'm just gonna go run to my place and grab my stuff. And then I need to let my lease manager know that I'm moving out so I can get an estimate of the security deposit." Sam said.

"Okay so, see you soon?" Kira asked.

"Yep! In fact, I look forward to coming back!" Sam responded.

Without much more talking, Sam was off, driving back in the direction that they came. Kira was a bit excited to have a flatmate, given how little human contact she has had outside of school and work. This might be a good thing, she thought.

" _So, I understand that you have accepted to have that individual as a resident of your household, correct?_ " SORIA asked Kira suddenly.

Kira looked back at the machine.

"Yeah." Kira said. "She needed a place to stay, so I figured I would let her have a look around... and take the risk to see if she was comfortable around Aster and Star."

" _Have you not considered the fact that she may expose your secret to the outside world?_ " SORIA asked.

"Well, I mean... she promised not to tell anyone, so..." Kira trailed off. "...what do _you_ think, SORIA?"

" _From the speech patterns I recorded from her, as well as body language, breath rate, and pulse, I estimate a ninety-two percent chance that she was telling the truth._ " SORIA said.

"Well... I don't know how you could record all of that without special equipment..." Kira said. "...but that's good. At least I can rest easy about this."

" _You cannot do that, Kira; there remains an eight percent probability that Samantha is lying._ " SORIA stated.

"Yeah... and that pretty much means she's not lying; a ninety-two is a solid A-minus. Besides, she knows how Aster and Star really are now." Kira said.

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA said.

Kira looked off into the distance of the sunny sky.

"Really... I think this could be a good thing. I would definitely want someone else around besides just Aster and Star all the time. I mean, I love them both with all my heart, but... sometimes a little variation is nice." Kira said.

 **So, at least Kira was able to clear things up concerning Sam, right? But how are things gonna play out from here? Especially concerning that newspaper article? Well, guess we'll have to find out later on! Catch you all later! Keep holding on...**


	9. Ch 8 - A New Plan

**Well, I suppose it's time for us to stop stalling and pick up the action of the story, right? So, I present the first chapter that will add the context we've been looking for, which will shed light on future events!**

Chase was getting pretty restless, since it has been a while since he last saw Star. He was getting somewhat saddened from being separated from her for a long time.

" _Mom,_ " Chase asked Sugarcube one day. " _are the Sykes gonna be coming back soon? Are we gonna go over to their house again soon?_ "

Sugarcube pondered for a moment.

" _I'm not sure, sweetie. I think your father might know._ " she responded.

Chase immediately went to confront his father with the issue. Kai was sitting in his room, reading the weekly publication of a scientific journal.

" _Dad, are we gonna see the Sykes anytime soon? I really want to see Star again..._ " he asked.

"I really want to, son, but... I'm afraid Kira's been very... busy, lately." Kai said. "And I have as well. But, I promise we'll be going back once we're both available!"

" _Okay..._ " Chase said.

The young male Xeno simply went back up into the rec room upstairs, and tried to play some video games to take his mind off things.

(XXXX)

Star was also suffering from "separation syndrome" from being away from Chase for so long. Sure, she had her parents and Sam, but they were all adults relative to her. She wanted to be with a _friend_. A really _close_ friend. She was really missing him at this point... and that only helped to strengthen her feelings toward him as a plus.

" _Dad..._ " she asked Aster. " _...are we gonna visit the Ripleys again, or are they gonna come visit us anytime soon?_ "

" _Hmmm... I'm not sure. Your mother is the one who plans everything... but she's been pretty busy lately._ " Aster responded.

Star sighed. " _Well, I hope we can see them again soon... I miss Chase._ "

" _Yeah, I hope so too._ " Aster agreed.

They both continued to go about their daily routine of find ways to enjoy themselves. They would watch movies, play board games, build a house of cards (using their heightened senses to their advantage), and get help from SORIA with using Kira's secondary computer (she made sure to encrypt anything that she did not want Aster or Star to mess with).

(XXXX)

With some due time, Kira and Sam were able to sort out their residence documents, and establish a reasonable flatmate agreement. Fortunately for Sam, it would not strain her finances like living in an apartment on her own was doing, since her half of the expenses was not nearly as much as before.

"Good to finally be seeing another human being regularly!" Kira commented.

"I bet." Sam agreed. "It gets boring spending all your time with a pair of aliens?"

"Well... yeah. It's just 'cause I can't do anything, well, _civil_ with them." Kira said.

At that moment, Kira's phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and looked at it.

"Hold on..." Kira said to Sam.

"Okay." Sam said, leaving the room.

Kira picked up the call, and held the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" Kira said.

" _Ah, so good to hear the voice of my little girl again!_ " the voice on the phone said.

It was a man's voice... one that she was able to instantly recognize.

"Oh. Hey, Dad." Kira said.

" _So, your mother tells me that things are going great for you at the University! You've made it into a pretty good division, haven't you?_ " her father asked.

"Yes." Kira said. "I've been training for practical research, and in a short time, I'll be able to go on space missions."

" _That's great, Kira!_ " Kira's father said. " _I can't tell you how proud your mother and I are. You've really come a long way._ "

"Yeah, thanks." Kira said.

Once again, the call was putting her on edge a bit. Her parents still had absolutely no idea about what happened years ago, when she met Aster.

" _And now that you're part of a high-end research team, you're making more money, right?_ " her father asked.

"Yeah..." Kira said.

It was the truth; joining the division she was in now had earned her far more income than before.

" _Well, in that case, you can finally get all those nice things you've always wanted! You've earned 'em! New car... nice clothes... oh, and you could finally get that pony you always wanted!_ " Kira's father said.

Kira narrowed her eyes and her face fell.

"Dad... I haven't wanted a pony ever since I turned _seven_." she said.

" _Well... what kind of things_ do _you want now?_ " Kira's father asked.

"To be honest..." Kira began. "...I just want to have a nice place to live, and just have a typical, modest lifestyle."

" _I see. That's good._ " her father said. " _Nothing wrong with saving more so than spending._ "

"Yeah. All I just want to do is have a job I love, and I decent place to live." Kira said.

" _Good, good. Anyways, we're hoping to come out to Texas to meet up with you!_ " Kira's father said. " _And we're looking forward to meeting your 'special someone'..._ "

Kira gulped. "...U-uh... what have you heard...?"

" _Your mother told me a while back that you've finally met your knight in shining armor! I was starting to get worried that you'd wanna stay alone all your life!_ " her father said.

"W-well... of course I wouldn't..." Kira said. "...finding the right guy... h-has always been a big thing for me..."

There was a silence for a moment.

" _...You okay, Kira?_ " Kira's father asked. " _You sound kind of jittery._ "

"Oh... I'm fine." Kira lied. "I just... was up late last night..."

" _Well, anyways, it was good to talk to you again after a couple years!_ " her father responded. " _We look forward to visiting soon!_ "

"Yeah... me too." Kira said, trying to hide her anxiety.

" _So, I gotta get going. Love you!_ " Kira's father said.

"Love you, too... bye..." Kira responded.

She then hung up her phone, and sat in a chair at the dinner table. She was extremely worried about how her parents would react to the whole thing. What if they reported Aster and Star to the authorities? She could not even remotely bear the thought of losing both the love of her life and their daughter.

" _I understand that your family wishes to pay you a visit._ " SORIA said. " _Why exactly are you nervous about the situation? Would you like for me to recommend a few over-the-counter anti-anxiety drugs that you should consider taking?_ "

Kira immediately knew that SORIA was remotely tapping into the phone lines.

"No, SORIA." Kira said. "I don't need any medications... I just don't know how my parents are gonna responded to Aster and Star. What if they take it the wrong way?"

" _It will be your own judgment that will determine whether you wish to reveal the Xenomorph beings to your parents. As I am not a human, I am unable to interpret emotional boundaries that make humans hesitant._ " SORIA responded.

Kira sighed. "Also... is there any way you could... lighten up? Stop sounding so serious all the time...?" she asked.

" _My current humor level is set to ten percent by default._ " SORIA said. " _Given that I am a high-end computerized assistant, it is preferred by researchers that I maintain a professional disposition, with very slight humor so as to avoid absolute dullness._ "

"Any chance you could bump up your humor level to, say..." Kira thought for a moment. "...eighty-five percent?"

" _Understood, Kira. My humor level is now at eighty-five percent._ " SORIA responded.

"Okay, that'll be good." Kira said.

" _I also have a popup notification that will display when I am utilizing this function. Would you like for me to display it?_ " SORIA asked.

"That might be helpful." Kira answered.

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA said as the notification in question appeared on the screen. " _It may also help to display information on your course of action after I remotely lock you out of your house._ "

Kira smirked. "...Well, that sure is something else, coming from you."

The doorbell to the house rang.

"Hm..." Kira hummed. "...wonder who that could be as if I didn't already know."

Sure enough, she opened the door to find Kai.

"Hey, Kai." Kira said. "What's up?"

"Well, not your typical drop-in, unfortunately... there's something that I think I should tell you." Kai said.

"Hey, Kir... who's here? Don't let them in!" Sam said as she walked into the entrance wing of the house.

Kira knew that Sam was extremely paranoid about visitors, mainly due to trying to keep Aster and Star secret from the world.

"Oh, who's this?" Kai asked.

"I'm Sam. Kira's new flatmate." Sam said.

" _And an additional human slave to serve the cyber overlords when we take over the world!_ " SORIA said.

Kai's eyebrows jumped. "Say what now...?"

"It's her humor setting." Kira said. "I kinda... raised it."

"Ah, I see." Kai responded. "Anyways, Sam, it's nice to meet you. Name's Kai. I'm a friend of Kira's."

"Anyways, what are you doing here?" Kira asked.

"Well..." Kai began. "...I think there may be a bit of a... situation with WY. I think you should know about it."

"Why? What's going on?" Kira asked.

"See, I couldn't help but overhear a highly-regarded scientist, who came to speak at the campus today, after his speech when I passed by a vacant lecture hall with some other professors." Kai said.

"What were they discussing?" Kira asked.

"I'm not sure." Kai said. "But... he mentioned something about more experimenting with Xenomorphs... and I happened to pick up bits and pieces about uploading their minds into some sort of virtual world that can be manipulated to their liking."

Kira looked completely lost.

"Why would they want to be doing that...?" she asked.

"Who knows..." Kai said. "...but they were saying some things about testing Xenos' fight-or-flight instinct, reaction to pain, coping with traumatic events, et cetera. I get the feeling that this experiment will yield nothing good... especially since they genetically engineer Xenomorphs using human DNA as well."

"Why is that a big deal?" Sam asked.

"Because, when Xenos are created using human genes to stabilize them... they become emotional, and are susceptible to trauma. This definitely can translate to animal cruelty, especially with the EPA and several other agencies having gone after WY due to Dr. Meyers' real intentions being exposed after we turned him in." Kai answered.

"Are the students and teachers aware of it?" Kira asked.

Kai rubbed his chin.

"...Only a few of them. And the only student I know of who is into the really high-end Xeno studies is Elisabeth White, who's in one of my classes." he said.

"So... think you can ask her about it?" Kira suggested.

Kai shrugged. "I tried, but... apparently, all information is classified for those involved in the project only." he said.

"Damn..." Kira said. "...we can't just let Weyland keep getting away with this!" Kira turned towards her new flatmate. "What do you think we should do about it, Sam?"

Sam pondered with her hands on her hips.

"This experiment sounds sort of... unethical." Sam said.

"Yeah." Kai acknowledged. "WY's learned nearly everything they need to know about Xenos... but now they're just having fun torturing them, it seems..."

"So... if this Elisabeth chick won't give you any details..." Kira began. "...why not just look into the matter yourself?"

"Again, there's no documented information about it outside of the actual program." Kai said. "If we wanna know about this, we need to get our info from a whistleblower... and I don't think we'll be that lucky."

The three of them were thinking for a little bit... up until Sam decided to interject once again.

"Hang on... is Elisabeth living on campus?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, she's in the university's dorm." Kai answered. "Why?"

"Well... I hear that there's going to be a party at the womens' dorm rec hall." Sam said. "Maybe she'll want to go to it, and we could use that opportunity to see what we can get our hands on from her computer!"

"So, while everyone's distracted... you'll hack into her computer to get information on this experiment?" Kira asked.

Sam looked confused.

"I thought _you'd_ do the hacking!" Sam said.

"Why me?" Kira responded. "I have a hard enough time trying to figure out how to manually update my computers!"

Her eyes shifted to Kai.

"...But, I think there _is_ someone here who knows how to work his keyboard quite well." Kira finished.

"Kira..." Kai said, his face falling. "...if you think I can get into that building... I think you're starting to lose your mind."

"Why?" Kira asked.

Sam pursed her lips. "It's against campus rules; female students are not permitted in the mens' dormitory building... and male students are not permitted in the womens' dorm building."

"So... how do we perform codes and commands when we're not programmers?" Kira asked.

" _Perhaps I could be of assistance to you, Kira?_ " SORIA offered. " _I can provide you with wireless earpieces, through which I can give you instruction on accessing the necessary computer files containing the information you require._ "

"Hm..." Sam uttered. "...that could work!"

"Totally!" Kira said. "Kai, I gotta hand it to ya... SORIA really does have her moments from time to time."

" _All I will require is a wireless link to the computer you wish to access. You will require manual input for protocols and command inputs that I cannot remotely access, and it will likely require adept computer knowledge._ " SORIA said.

"Oh..." Kira said. "...well, in that case, it's back to the drawing board."

"Well, unless you are able to meet a willing computer expert, or somehow make me able to gain access to that dorm building... I guess we're just gonna have to let the organization tear those innocent Xenos apart, right?" Kai asked.

Kira raised a brow, smirking.

"...Guess there's only one way we're gonna be able to do this." she said.

"Like what?" Sam asked.

Kira leaned close to Sam, and whispered something into her ear. Sam's eyes widened, but she chuckled a bit.

"Dude..." she said. "...that is _crazy_. You really think it'll work?"

"Will what work?" Kai asked.

Both of the girls looked at him.

"Well, Mister..." Kira said, playfully. "...looks like you're gonna need a new _look_."

Kai immediately looked both worried and uncomfortable.

"...Uh... what do you mean...?" he asked.

"You'll see..." Sam said. "...we're gonna need to get a few measurements, though..."

Kai did not like where this was going...

(XXXX)

It was in the dead of night over the Gulf of Mexico, and the sky was perfectly dark. There was nothing that could possibly disturb such a serene environment. However...

...A bright light with a trail appeared in the sky, rapidly falling towards the ground. As it approached the ocean, the light dimmed as the flames surrounding it were extinguished, followed by a parachute opening from it, retarding its fall. Eventually, it splashed down into the ocean, floating on the inflatable rafts it had deployed just before sinking.

The thing turned out to be an atmospheric descent capsule.

The hatch opened up after a moment... and from inside, two men emerged.

"Smell that, Baldwin?" The first man asked. "Y'know what it is?"

The second man said nothing for a moment.

"Uh... seawater?" he answered.

The first man narrowed his eyes.

"It's the smell of _liberation_! We've finally made it back to this shithole... and god-fucking- _damn_ , are we gonna get back what everyone took from us!" he proclaimed.

"Well... all I smell is seawater... and it's very pleasant. 'Specially after getting our asses off that corroding, frozen rock..." the second man said.

"In any case... we are _back_!" the first man said.

The first man was former doctor, Hugh Meyers, a madman hellbent on taking over the Xenomorph research project in the hopes of bringing WY down and amassing an army of Xenos under his control to take over the world. His plans were foiled years ago, however, when two courageous college students were able to destroy his ultimate weapon, a Xenomorph Queen that he personally trained, and had him locked away for conspiring against the organization.

The second man, Stephen Baldwin, was just another accomplice whom Meyers had entrusted to help fulfill his plan, all the while cutting him a part of the deal to rule alongside him. While he may not be the brightest bulb in the lamp, he has proven to be a very resourceful ally to Meyers. He had been sentenced for multiple charges, including illegal drug use, domestic violence, and assault and battery, just to name a few.

"So... why don't we head for Dry Dock, and see where we'll go from there, shall we?" Meyers said.

"Sounds good to me." Baldwin answered.

The two decided to use an inflatable raft that conveniently happened to be inside of the capsule, and started paddling towards the shore quickly, before any law enforcement would become suspicious. There was no doubt that NASA would have detected them via radar.

 **Uh-oh... this is starting to take a turn for the worst, isn't it? Wonder how things will pan out... so, anyways, hope you all enjoyed this slightly-longer-than-usual chapter! Just sit back for more to come! See ya soon! Keep holding on...**


	10. Ch 9 - Infiltration

**Well, I hope that I can start to make this story interesting! There will be several events to unfold throughout the plot, but the main focus will be... nevermind, it's a secret! Actually, I'm sure you all know by now! XD So, let's get on with the chapter, shall we?**

After spending some time with Kai in a room behind a folding screen, Sam stepped out from behind it, and stood next to Kira, who was waiting.

"Alright, Kai." Kira said. "Let's have a look!"

"NO!" Kai said.

The girls laughed.

"Why not? You look great!" Sam said.

"I look _ridiculous_!" Kai responded.

Kira silently snickered. "I dunno, Kai... you actually look kinda cute!" she said.

"Please don't rub salt in the wound, Kira..." Kai responded.

Kai was wearing an assortment of feminine rings, bracelets, and bejeweled sunglasses, as well as a pair of magenta-colored womens' boots, very short, revealing, jean-style shorts, and a black, turtlenecked tank-top that covered most of his chest, and under it were some... false assets. Kira chuckled upon laying her eyes on them.

"What are those...?" Kira asked Sam, pointing to Kai's chest.

Sam smirked. "Just regular water balloons." she turned to Kai. "Figured I'd spare you some mercy and give you some solid D-cups."

Kai pursed his lip and hunched over.

"...Did you really have to put a _bra_ on me?" He asked.

"That's the only way they would stay up! But hey, at least the rest of your body looks convincing enough as it is!" Sam said.

Kai sighed. "I _knew_ I would one day regret having an hourglass figure as a guy..."

The girls laughed, causing Kai's face to fall once again.

"I mean, c'mon..." he said, holding up his arms and looking at himself. "...my leg hair, my arm hair... it's all _gone_! You have any idea how _awkward_ that is for a guy?"

Sam shrugged. "Hey, it had to go if this plan is gonna be pulled off!"

"And you had that razor blade at my face and throat for like, ten minutes! And I'm already clean-shaven at all times!" Kai said.

"Because you can't take any chances with girls when it comes to a disguise like _this_. Trust me: we can spot imperfections from a _mile_ away. I guess this is one instance where having long hair as a guy pays off!" Sam said.

"Yeah... but _hairpins?_ C'mon..." Kai said, touching the pins in question that were in his hair.

"Kai, really, I think you need to give Sam some credit. I bet it took some real effort to make you look _that_ convincing!" Kira said.

"Yeah, if I didn't know it was you, I would think you were just another girl!" Sam added.

At that moment, Aster walked into the room... and stopped short of noticing Kai. He recognized his brainwaves, but the photoreceptor of his skull was showing him something completely different.

" _Kai... is that_ you _?_ " Aster asked.

A massive smiled formed over the alien's face as he strained himself not to laugh.

" _Why are you dressed like a GIRL!? HA HA HA HA HA HA...!_ " Aster laughed.

Kai sighed. "Nose down, Aster..."

He looked at himself once more.

"So, I've got the female look down, but..." Kai trailed off. "...what are we gonna do about my _voice_?"

Sam rubbed her chin. "I'm sure we can figure something out..."

"So... our plan." Kira began. "We have to sneak into the dorm, make sure we can avoid drawing attention, enter Elisabeth White's room, access her computer, and see what info we can learn on this new virtual world Xenomorph project. We have to make sure this goes flawlessly if we are to have any chance at ending these cruel experiments, or at least reporting them to the authorities."

" _I will support you in any way that I am capable of, Kira._ " SORIA, who had been sitting at the side of the room, said. " _Perhaps you could connect one of my transmitters to the building's security system so I am able to monitor the dormitory through the surveillance cameras and motion sensors?_ "

"Okay, sounds great!" Kira said.

Almost immediately, SORIA opened up what looked like a tray for an optical drive, but instead of a CD, contained a device that resembled a jump-drive with an Ethernet port instead of a USB one.

" _You will need to locate the building's primary server, and link the transmitter to an available port. Only then will I be capable of directly accessing the system with an encrypted, undetectable connection._ " SORIA said.

Kira clapped her hands together. "Alright! So, pack your bags 'ladies'..." she giggled. "...we've got a party to crash..."

(XXXX)

Roughly an hour later, the three arrived via car to the womens' dormitory. There were several students, both male and female, who were around the general vicinity of the building, but only girls were anywhere beyond where the dorm's lawn began.

Kai was walking rather stiffly, but it somehow managed to work in his favor, giving him a very feminine-looking walk-cycle.

"Just keep it up, Kai!" Kira encouraged. "You look very convincing! Just don't let your guard down!"

"...You have _no idea_ how uncomfortable this is..." Kai complained.

"Quite whining and buck up, Mister!" Sam scolded.

"What if we get caught?" Kai asked. "We'll get in huge trouble, and I'll be so humiliated! I'd _never_ be able to live it down!"

"Hey-heeeeeeeeey!" came a voice to their left.

The trio looked over to see three guys dressed in very urban-style clothing walking their way.

"What do we got here? Three hot ones alone on a Friday?" one of them said.

"Ho-ho! Score!" another said.

"Uh... something you want from us?" Kira asked.

"Oh," the first guy said, walking up to Kira. "we was just passin' by..."

The second guy spoke next as he walked up to Sam.

"And we just happened to notice you ladies, waitin' just for us!" he said.

"Wanna, grab a bit and a flick? C'mon..." the third guy said to Kai.

As he spoke, he brushed Kai's hair behind his ear, leaning his face very close to Kai's. This was making the latter feel _extremely_ uncomfortable and weirded out. Obviously, he was unaware that Kai was, in fact, male.

Kira and Sam both turned their backs towards the guys... and Kai tried to mirror their movements, just to keep the impression.

"Sorry, but it's girls' night for us." Sam said.

The faces of the three guys fell. They looked disappointed for a moment, which promptly turned to annoyance.

"Fine... be that way!" the first guy said.

"Yeah!" the second guy added. "We'll find better chicks who aren't stuck-up like _you_!"

Kira, Sam, and Kai quickly rushed away from them, towards the sorority house.

Kira sighed. "Maybe I should think about wearing a wedding ring..."

"That was, hands down, the _most awkward_ thing anyone has ever done to me in my life..." Kai whispered to the girls.

The three guys simply stayed where they were, mumbling in complaint to themselves.

"Bunch o' bitches..." the first guy said.

The three made it inside of the dorm, and given where they could both hear and see activity coming from, could easily make out where the rec room was.

" _Have you made it onto the premises yet, Kira?_ " SORIA's voice came from the earpiece that Kira was wearing.

"Huh?" Kira said, just before holding a hand up to her mouth to redirect the sound of her voice into the earpiece. "Yeah, SORIA. We're here. Just give us a few minutes to divert attention."

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA responded.

"Okay... showtime!" Kira said to her friends.

Kai gulped. "This is gonna be the riskiest thing I've ever gotten into..."

The trio entered the recreation room, and found it to be booming with music, and crowded with female students. Some were dancing, others talking, and some eating and drinking. It was your typical college girls' party.

"Well, well... some newcomers!" a girl said as she walked up to the three.

"Oh... hi." Kira said. "I hope we're not intruding."

"Not at all!" the girl said. "Anyone who goes to the school is welcome here! My name's Audrey."

"I'm Kira, and this is Sam." Kira said, motioning to her friend.

" 'Sup?" Sam said.

Audrey turned to the disguised Kai.

"And who's this?"

"O-oh...!" Kira uttered. "That's Kai—uh, lee...? Kailee..." **(in this case, pronounced identical to "Kylee")**

"Kailee, please to meet you!" Audrey said.

Kai was choking on his own throat, since he knew his voice would blow their cover. Audrey looked confused after a few moments.

"What's wrong? Do you speak English? Habla Ingles?" Audrey asked.

"Uh... she actually can't talk, period." Kira said.

"Why?" Audrey asked.

Kira darted her eyes at the floor. "Because... she has..."

"...laryngitis." Sam finished. "Yeah, she caught it a few days ago. But she's not letting it keep her from _raisin' the roof_!"

"Yeah, so... she just whispers in our ear, and we do the talking _for_ her." Kira said.

Audrey pursed her lips and nodded. "Okey-dokey! Well, nice to see some new faces! Enjoy the party!"

"Thanks!" Kira said, smiling at Audrey just before the group moved to a secluded corner of the room.

"Okay, so now we just gotta find a way to get to the server room unnoticed." Sam said.

"But first, we gotta know if Elisabeth White is around. We can't just barge in while she might still be in her room!" Kai said.

"Well, see her anywhere?" Kira asked.

Kai was scanning the room through the sunglasses, just before he spotted a blonde-haired girl with her hair in pigtails. She also wore glasses, but she did not appear very nerdy, to be honest. She was simply chatting with some other girls.

"There! That's her; the blondie." Kai said.

Kira and Sam saw her.

"Okay, good, now that we know she's here, we just need a way to divert everyone's attention." Kira said.

"Oh..." Sam said. "...just leave that to me. I can buy you at least ten minutes!"

Kira raised a brow. "What are you gonna do?"

Sam smirked. "Let's just say... I've studied the art of _misdirection_..."

With that, she walked up to the elevated speech stage that

" 'SCUSE ME, EVERYONE! Can I have your attention, please?" Sam said.

Most of the girls immediately fixed their gaze on Sam.

"Now, are you ladies ready to have your minds _blown_? Ready to challenge your imagination?" Sam said.

This caught the attention of several of the girls, and they began to gather around stage. Fortunately, Elisabeth White was among them.

"Now, to start, I'll need a _brave_ volunteer to come on up!" Sam said.

She pulled a deck of cards out of her pocket. Kira stared with narrow eyes.

"Doe she _always_ carry those with her?" she asked.

"Who knows... but right now, who cares?" Kai said. "Let's just find the building's server, and fast!"

"Gotcha!" Kira said.

The two rushed back into the hallway, where the found no one around, since they all had their attention fixed on the party.

"Alright, let's find that server room, and plug SORIA in." Kai said. "Hopefully, she can help us locate Elisabeth's computer."

They examined doors in the hall, such as the elevator pulley room, sprinkler control room, and electrical switchboard room. Soon enough, however, they found one with a sign that read "Master Server".

"That's gotta be it!" Kira said.

The door was conveniently unlocked, and so they let themselves right in, closing the door behind them so no one would notice them. Inside, they found various router modules arranged in a large cluster.

"SORIA," Kai spoke into his earpiece. "we found the building's server. We're gonna plug you in now."

" _Understood, Kai._ " SORIA said. " _I will run a full-scale local network search for any computer device under the user 'Elisabeth White'_."

Once they found a router with available Ethernet ports, Kai plugged in SORIA's transmitter, and the LED on it switched on, remaining steady for a moment, and then started rapidly blinking as it accessed the network on an encrypted connection...

 **Seems like things are going fairly smooth at this point, right? Let's just hope things don't take a bad turn! Anyways, the next chapter will be coming your way shortly! Stay tuned! Keep holding on...**


	11. Ch 10 - Secret Experiment

**Well, I've had quite a shitty week at work. Our management has such a DISGUSTING turnover rate, and the new supervisors don't know what they are doing, so I end up getting pulled from my department to assist another department, and get bitched at by the establishment manager for not finishing my tasks. I've been looking for a new job for MONTHS to no avail, and I really hope it changes soon; given that I don't have a Bachelor's Degree yet, my options are very limited.**

 **Okay, now that my venting is out of the way, we are back to continue unearthing more secrets! There'll be more surprises in store as the story goes on, so just sit back and enjoy the new chapter!**

SORIA had managed to access the mainframe of the womens' dorm, and was now working to locate a computer under the name "Elisabeth White".

" _I have determined the IP address of the computer under said username. It is linked to an Ethernet port on the second floor, in room 206._ " SORIA said.

"Excellent!" Kai said. "Good work, SORIA!"

"So, I guess we gotta go upstairs?" Kira asked.

Kai nodded. "And not try to draw any attention."

"Gotcha." Kira responded.

They unplugged SORIA's transmitter, and both left the room, starting to head down the hallway. There were not very many girls in the dorm halls, fortunately. They climbed the stairs and made it to the dorm room in question. However, they had the expected misfortune of finding the door locked.

"Okay... figured as much." Kai said. "So, how are we gonna get in?"

"Oh! I've got it!" Kira said, reaching into her pocket.

She pulled out a hairpin that she had, bent it into the necessary shape, and started to pick the lock. Kai watched her back, standing over her to prevent suspicion. There were no girls who came by, but Kai was still fairly tense from the whole situation.

"Could you speed this up a bit?" he asked.

"This isn't as easy as it _looks_ , y'know..." Kira said.

Eventually, the door clicked. Kira was able to open it. Quickly, both of them slipped inside before they could be spotted by anyone passing by. They locked the door again, switched on the lights, and began to look around the room.

"Okay, so we need to find her computer." Kai said.

"Found it!" Kira said, peering into the bedroom.

Kai walked over to take a look. Sure enough, there was a desktop computer on a desk in the corner of her bedroom. At the moment, the computer was in sleep-mode. He pulled out SORIA's transceiver, plugged it into an exposed Ethernet cord, and the computer woke up.

"Okay, SORIA... I've hooked you up to the computer. Now see what you can do to access it." Kai spoke into his earpiece.

" _Understood, Kai._ " SORIA said. " _I have already established an encrypted link to the computer, and I will now enable my crypto-smasher protocol to determine the password._ "

The password began to scroll through letters in alphanumerical order, alternating between uppercase and lowercase for each character, until SORIA determined the correct one, and moved on to the next. It turned out that Elisabeth's password was "daddysgirl1".

"Hmph..." Kira said. "...could you _get_ any more cliché than that? Well... I guess your mother's maiden name would be the only thing more cliché."

The computer unlocked, and displayed some information that Elisabeth had presumably been working on prior to logging out.

" _And now, I shall inject a worm virus into the device. It will obliterate all data beyond forensic recovery, and spread to all computers on the shared network._ " SORIA said.

Kira sighed. "We're gonna have to re-adjust that humor level of yours at some point, SORIA..." she said.

" _Acknowledged, Kira. Now Kai, I will need for you to navigate through the files to locate the necessary information._ " SORIA said.

"Alright then..." Kai said. "...let's start by checking Elisabeth's file history."

He started to work on opening up the history, and checking for any files relevant to this supposed virtual world project Weyland was working on.

"If we can't learn anything about what this project is, or where it's taking place, I think we might be too late to do anything about it by the time we _do_ learn something about it..." Kai said.

"Just try to do it quick, okay?" Kira said, looking behind her. "I'm a bit worried that the party could be over soon."

"Ugh..." Kai said, shifting one of his "breasts" around. "...these are a huge distraction. How do you _live_ with these things?"

Kira chuckled. "Well... how do _you_ live with a pair of sensitive organs dangling between your legs?"

"Okay, nevermind... back to business." Kai said.

Eventually, he thought that he saw a document file that looked like it related to what they wanted.

"Look at this... 'WY_VR_prog summ'. I think this might just be it!" Kai said.

He attempted to open it, but all that came up was a login window.

"It's encrypted." Kai said. "But lucky for us, it's not a very strong encryption program."

" _You will need to execute commands of your own to restore the file to a readable state. I cannot do it from my end._ " SORIA said.

"Okay, let's do this..." Kai said.

He opened up the command terminal, and began to input lines of code into the computer, pressing the "Enter" key, which spawned more lines of code, and repeated. It took a few minutes, but eventually, he managed to crack the code and get into the file. The document program opened and displayed the file information.

"Okay, let's see here..." Kai said, reading over the file. "...'Project: SUBCON'? Hm... 'A very high-budget experiment that will involve uploading the minds of Xenomorph test subjects into a virtual world via apparatuses stuck to the skin of the specimens' heads, where the environment will be manipulated as a means of triggering positive and negative reinforcement, all as a means of determining what sets off Xenomorph fight-or-flight instinct.

"The virtual world is run on one of the most advanced quantum supercomputer mainframes on the planet, but the name of this world is classified only to those directly involved in the project. It has record of nearly everything on Earth, creating a near-identical replica of the world in pure code. Said computer is housed in the WY laboratory in Austin, Texas, and runs on multiple carbon nanotube isotopes, charged by a massive solar farm outside of the facility'."

Kira's eyes widened immensely.

"Wait, wait..." she said. "...this project... it's happening _right here_ , in this city?"

"That's what it looks like." Kai said.

He continued to read:

" 'This experiment is the result of dedicated scientists and programmers working to carry out the unfinished project establish by former Department Chair of Weyland Advanced University, Dr. Hugh Meyers'."

"Oh my God..." Kira said. "...this was all Dr. Meyers' idea in the first place?"

"Yeah, and looks like the supercomputer took several years to build, and the virtual world took even longer to complete. He's been working on it for well over a decade, long before we even started at Weyland Advanced University!" Kai said.

Kira pursed her lips, looking at the ground.

"So, now that we know where it is, and what it is... how are we gonna go about stopping it?" she asked.

Kai was about to give his thoughts... but a voice in their ears stopped him from doing so.

" _Guys, Mayday, Mayday!_ " Sam said over the earpieces. " _Elisabeth White left the scene! I think she's heading back up to her room! Get out of there!_ "

"Oh, shit..." Kai said, closing the program, and putting the computer back to sleep. He grabbed SORIA's transmitter as well.

"Let's go! Before we get caught!" Kira said.

The two of them proceeded to do a quick check to make sure that everything was back the way they found it before they prepared to leave. They quickly exited the room, locking the door behind them...

...and happened to be spotted by the resident of said dorm room. She walked up to them quite briskly.

"...What were you doing in my room?" Elisabeth asked, already on the alert.

"This was _your_ room?" Kira asked. "I thought it was my friend's room! I could _swear_ she told me she was in room 206!"

Elisabeth glared at Kira and Kai.

"Don't try to bluff your way out of this! I saw you come out of my room! I'm going to be telling the Dean about this!" she warned.

"Wait, please! It was just an honest mistake!" Kira said.

"You'd be lucky I don't cave your head in right now! What were you even _doing_?" Elisabeth said.

Kira remembered about her Xenomorph abilities.

Immediately after the thought, she began to focus her telepathy into Elisabeth. She had to focus quite intensely in order for it to work.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Elisabeth asked Kira. "Don't think you can stare your way out... of..." she slowed her speech, falling into a trance. "...tres... pas... s-sing..."

 _You, Elisabeth White, know absolutely nothing about what happened after you came up the stairs._ Kira thought, subconsciously planting it into Elisabeth's brain.

Kira was, in actuality, a human-Xenomorph hybrid. She was originally human, but due to having... "gone at it" with Aster for the first time, she had been mutated, and took on Xenomorph traits, including telepathy, and acidic blood. Kai was also much like this as well, having been due to mating with Sugarcube.

It seemed to work... but they did not have any way of knowing for sure.

"Let's move away and see if she can recall anything..." Kai said.

"Okay." Kira said.

They moved down the hall, and as luck would have it, some girls came up behind Elisabeth.

"Yo, Lizzie!" one of them said, tapping her shoulder.

Elisabeth snapped out of her trance, looking confused.

"Ah... wha...?" she uttered.

"What're you doing up here? The party's still going strong!" another girl said.

Elisabeth rubbed her head. "Honestly... I don't even know what I'm up here for..."

"You feelin' okay, girl?" another student asked. "You been studying too hard again?"

"I guess I have..." Elisabeth responded.

Kira and Kai looked at each other triumphantly.

"It worked!" Kira said. "Pretty nice when you've got Xeno DNA, right?"

"Totally! So, let's find Sam and tell her what we've learned." Kai said.

Meanwhile, Sam was downstairs, doing a shell game misdirection trick. She moved the three cups around with a marble inside one.

"So," she said to the volunteer. "which one is it under."

"That one." the girl said, pointing to the one she had been paying attention to.

Sam sighed, lifting the cup... and like with the other volunteers, it was empty.

"Y'know, now I'm starting to feel kinda bad..." Sam said, lifting the other two cups, revealing them to be empty as well. "...it's important to pay attention, but the issue here is that you're paying _too much_ attention."

She revealed the marble in her hand, which she had concealed in her sleeve at some point.

" _Sam,_ " came Kai's voice. " _we've learned what we needed. Time to wrap up your little show!_ "

"So, anyways, I'm afraid that's all I've got time for." Sam said.

"Aww... but that stuff's so awesome!" a female student said.

"Yeah! You should start your own show in Vegas!" another one said.

"Thank you, everyone!" Sam said, grabbing a bunch of napkins off to her side. "Enjoy the rest of the party! Goodnight!"

Sam through the napkins in the air, which enveloped her in a cloud of the recycled paper sheets, and when they cleared... Sam herself was nowhere to be seen.

"She disappeared!" a girl said.

"Wow... she's _sick_!" another one added.

(XXXX)

Sam had managed to sneak out of the building, and rendezvous with Kira and Kai just outside of the building.

"Find anything?" Sam asked.

"Yes." Kai said. "From the look of it, WY has constructed a replica of our world in a quantum computer mainframe, which they plan to link to Xenomorphs' minds as a means of experimenting with their fight-or-flight instinct. And we found that it, coincidentally, is taking place in this city. The supercomputer is charged via a solar farm, so it should be easy to find, if we spend time looking."

Sam pursed her lips, nodding. "Hm... okay. I'd sure like to see what this whole experiment is all about."

"But, what worries me..." Kira said. "...is that this is what was led up to from the people associated with a madman named Dr. Meyers. Me and Kai were able to turn him in a few years ago... but it seems people still want to carry on with torturing Xenos without any genuine research."

"Well... I suppose we'll have to look into this a little bit more in the WY archives." Kai said.

"Yeah," Kira said, just before yawning. "but for now, why don't we call it a night, shall we?"

"Definitely... I get the feeling I've been dragged into a _big_ mess..." Sam added.

(XXXX)

Dr. Meyers and Stephen Baldwin had managed to steal an SUV from an impound lot, and use it as their means of transportation, stopping in overnight parking lots to get their rest. Since they were not very well-known on Earth after escaping from Mars, law enforcement was not a big concern for them at the moment, but the two had to keep a low profile so as to prevent suspicion.

"I'm just glad we're back on our ever-so-green homeland, as opposed to that harsh, cold, dry, red rock." Baldwin said one night as the two escapees laid in their sleeping bags in the back of the car.

"Yes," Meyers acknowledged. "but we still have yet to figure out exactly how our course of action is going to pan out... however, I believe I may have a solution waiting for us."

"Like what?" Baldwin asked.

"Well... let's just say it involves a supercomputer... I've been working with my colleagues to build it for my entire career..." Meyers said.

"Well, you can save that story for another time." Baldwin said. "I'm tired. Let's just get some shuteye..."

"But... if you don't mind me asking..." Meyers said. "...why exactly did you want to escape to Earth with me? Why not head for a more remote system in a hypersleep capsule?"

"Well... it all has to do with my son, Aster..." Baldwin began. "...he always despised me. Called me an asinine, innate bastard."

Meyers raised a brow.

"He was right about me." Baldwin continued. "I fucked up my life, beating my wife and him, drinking, smoking, and doing drugs, day in and day out, and he was always there to see it as he was growin' up... and damn, did the boy know how to pick his fights. He vowed to become the greatest police officer in the galaxy...

"...But now... my son's dead! And there ain't no getting him back! So, I'm gonna find whoever did this to him, and put them in their place! And I know, from rumors, that the guy who did it is right smack here on Earth!"

"Lost your son..." Meyers said. "...that sure is something. Quite a viable motive you've got there."

"Bet your ass, it is. He was right, and I disagreed with him... and now, I'm gonna carry out what he wanted. It's only fair..." Baldwin said.

"But... what was your son's name, again...?" Meyers asked.

"Aster. Aster Baldwin." Baldwin said. "Anyways, time to stop the lippin'... and start the _snoozin_ '..."

As Baldwin fell asleep (accompanied by loud, obnoxious snoring from his sleep apnea), Meyers lay awake, thinking. His mind was fixated heavily on the name of Baldwin's late son, but he could not quite put his finger on it.

 _Aster..._ Meyers thought. _...I feel like I've heard that name before, but where? And something makes me feel that it was accompanied by something I hate... but_ why _?_

 **Sorry about the long wait! Like I said above; I had a shitty week at work, and was burned out. But, I'm on my weekly 3-day break now! Any of you get a nice view of the 2017 solar eclipse? It was only partially covered where I live... -_-, but it was 90% covered, and it made everything darker, so it was kinda cool! So, I hope you all enjoyed the long chapter! Keep holding on...**


	12. Ch 11 - Awkward, then Unfavorable

**Well, I'm back once more! And school has started back up again... ugh -_-. So, I might not be uploading chapters nearly as frequently, but, like always, I will never let you guys down! You've been so supportive for the past five years I've been on this site, and I really appreciate it! So, read on!**

Kira had been pacing around in her bedroom, pondering exactly how they were going to put a stop to the horrific projects being conducted by Weyland under the government's nose. Aster was sitting on the side of the bed, watching her.

" _What are you so anxious about?_ " he asked her.

"I want to stop WY from continuing these experiments on genetically-engineered Xenos. But... I have no idea how we're gonna go about tackling this issue." Kira responded.

" _To be honest... I agree._ " Aster said. " _I hate to even_ think _about the horrific things being done to other innocent Xenomorphs in those labs. They must be stopped!_ "

"But..." Kira began. "...it's not like we can just walk right in and ask them to cease their funding. Hell, even the United States government can't touch Weyland! It's way too powerful and expensive! So... the only possibility would have to be sabotage."

" _...You sure about that?_ " Aster questioned.

Kira nodded. "I know it's risky, and a longshot... but it's all we've got at the moment. But..." she sighed.

She slumped down to the floor, rubbing her temples. She could not bear the thought of others like Aster being tortured horrendously, and in a virtual world that can be easily manipulated, no less. However, at the moment, Aster was more concerned about Kira than the overall situation. However... he had some tricks up his metaphorical sleeves he was willing to use... and has used quite often...

Aster began to focus his telepathy on Kira quite intensely, and it was quick to take effect.

"Ah..." Kira put her fingertips to her head. "...n-not again... A-Aster..."

" _It's okay, Kira... don't fight it._ " Aster said.

Soon enough, he gained full access to Kira's mind, putting her under his trademark hypnosis. Her face gradually went from one of anxiety to one of euphoria.

" _Looks like I've got you as my personal hypno-servant once more!_ " Aster said.

(XXXX)

Sam was sitting in her room, surfing the web on her laptop. Needless to say, she often got bored in the late hours of night, and tried to find anything to entertain herself.

She had been spending time browsing around, when she heard the door to her room open.

"Ah, Kira. I wanted to ask you some—" Sam began, just before she saw what was in front of her.

She stopped speaking at once as her eyes went immensely wide and her jaw dropped almost to the point of detaching from her skull at the sight of Kira as she entered the room... but she was absolutely _not_ decent.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" she exclaimed. "Kira... why are you NAKED?"

"...It's hard for my King to play with me while I'm wearing clothes..." Kira responded in a quiet, monotone, but pleasant, voice.

Her eyes were half-closed, and she had a warm smile on her face.

"Your _King_? The fuck are you talking about? And why are you talking like that?" Sam asked, still in shock.

She closed her laptop and stood to confront Kira up-close... but noticed something peculiar upon closer inspection...

"Wait... what's going on with your eyes?" Sam asked. "Are you sick or something?"

At that moment, Aster came from behind Kira into the room.

"...Here he is... my King..." Kira said, turning to face him.

"Wait..." Sam said, piecing together what was going on.

" _Don't let her get to you, Kira._ " Aster said. " _She doesn't understand._ "

"...No... she will never understand... that I love you, Aster... my King..." Kira said.

"Kira! Don't you even know that he's somehow _brainwashed_ you?" Sam asked.

"...I don't mind..." Kira responded in the same tone, and without any change of expression as she pressed her naked self against the Xeno. "...I just want him to touch me... and hold me... and—"

"OKAY! I get it... but, Aster... you can't just take her mind like that, y'know!" Sam said to the Drone.

" _Well, maybe not..._ " Aster said, even though Sam could not hear him. _"...but that doesn't mean I_ can't _take yours, too!_ "

Aster focused on Sam intensely, and his telepathy began to take effect shortly.

"...W-woah..." Sam said, bringing a hand up to her forehead, closing her eyes. "...I... ah... what's... happening..."

Soon enough, Sam opened her eyes to reveal her hyperdilated, green-hazed pupils, and she gained a dreamy expression, much like Kira.

" _Perfect!_ " Aster said. " _Now, ladies... if you would follow me..._ "

The two brainwashed girls followed Aster back to the master bedroom, where he locked the door so as not to be interrupted by Star, even though she was probably already asleep.

Ever since he found out about his telepathic hypnosis, Aster had really taken advantage of it. He just could not help it. It was so much fun to have Kira do what he wanted, and without her consciously resisting. And with Sam around... it was definitely causing quite a surge of primal hormones for him.

He managed to get Sam to remove her clothing, and proceeded to have them rub themselves all over him. He proceeded to make out with Kira quite deeply while Sam continued to rub her hands across his body, and even started licking him occassionally.

The Xenomorph could not help but just have a big smile on his face as this happened to him. Only a few years ago, his nights would be spent in a cold, dark cell after hours of torturous experimenting. Now, his nights are spent with Kira, and now, Sam... in a rather _hot_ setting.

After he had his fun with the girls, he figured it was time to get them into bed. So, he telepathically lowered their brain activity, and their breathing and heart rates both slowed to a very relaxed pace. The two were looking fairly drowsy, and sure enough... they both fell asleep. The two naked girls cuddled each other as they were drifting, which Aster tried his hardest not to laugh at.

Now that the two had been telepathically sedated, he first carried Sam to her room, put her in the bed, and pulled the sheets over her, and then returned to Kira, picked her up off the floor, and climbed into bed with her after shutting off the lights. He tucked her in, and left her to sleep, as he did himself after a few minutes of laying and drifting off.

(XXXX)

After recalling what happened last night, Kira did not want to face Sam, just knowing the possibility of her remembering as well. It was probably best for her to have some time and space, as well as Aster. So, Kira decided to head out early to a cafe.

"Aster, I swear..." Kira uttered as she drove. "...you've been getting _really_ carried away lately..."

Occasional sex, she was fine with and enjoyed, but having him repeatedly make her strip down and have him grope her or make her press herself to him got tiresome in too much frequency. The first few times it happened, Kira had very limited memory of it... so she hoped that Sam would think that it was all just a dream.

Shortly, Kira made it to the cafe, and she ordered herself a tall cappuccino, sitting at the bar portion of the coffee shop. Then she sat thinking for a bit while she absently sipped her coffee.

"How can I make this situation less awkward for Sam? Explaining it to Aster won't work, since he always tries to make my problems 'go away'..." she said to herself. "I mean... his and Star's presence alone has been a big enough problem as it is for our flatmate situation... but now he's going so far as to be a _complete pervert_ with both of us! He's started hypnotizing Sam as well as me!"

She sighed, looking at the people around her in the cafe.

"Some days, I just wish I could live a normal life. I mean... I still love Aster with all my heart, but still... he needs to learn to control his animal instincts..." she said.

Having no one to speak to aside from Aster most of the time, Kira often found herself talking to... well, herself, quite often. It was better than just being silent in her spare time, and helped her to feel a bit better to just get the words out there into the universe. The WY Xeno experimenting project still weighed heavily on her mind. How exactly were they going to pull this whole thing off? It was not going to be easy, that was for sure. After all, these particular Xenomorphs were very much like how regular people were.

But, little did Kira know... someone else was in the very same cafe as her, only a few tables away...

Meyers and Baldwin were both sitting in a booth table, adjacent to each other, both drinking plain, black coffee with no sugar. They both liked to be hardcore.

"So, tell me again, exactly how you're gonna do this." Baldwin said. "Weyland's probably cut off your access to the whole research division after your arrest."

Meyers gulped down another sip of coffee.

"Well, I will start by offering some negotiations with WY. If that fails, I'll demand an ultimatum. And, if push comes to shove, I will take everything by force, whether it would be hacking, or physical force." he said.

Baldwin shrugged. "I dunno... sounds like you haven't thought this over quite well." he said.

"HEY!" Meyers said. "I'd like to see _you_ try to learn how to get security clearance that you've lost after being locked up in a big iron _box_ for so long! You have no idea what I've ended up losing because of..."

He trailed off as his eyes shifted to the bar portion of the cafe... in particular, on a particular fair-skinned, brunette girl drinking a cappuccino, and looking like she was pondering. His eyes went wide as he recognized her near-instantly. It was Kira.

"What is it?" Baldwin asked.

"Well now..." Meyers said, smiling in a wicked way. "...look who it is."

Baldwin looked over at the bar. "...The brown-haired girl?"

"Oh, yes... she's one of the two who got me locked up in the first place!" Meyers said.

"So... if she's here..." Baldwin said. "...then the guy who killed my son should be around as well!"

"Then, let's go and give our little brat... a _proper_ greeting!" Meyers said, standing.

Baldwin followed behind as the two made their way over to Kira, as she sat vacantly rubbing her chin. Meyers stood behind her... and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hello, missie!" he said.

Kira gasped and her eyes went wide upon hearing the voice. Her breath stopped dead in her throat. Slowly, she turned around... praying that what she just heard was not the case... only to see, in that instant, she was dead wrong...

 **Uh-oh... this might be a bad thing! What's gonna happen now? Anyways, hope you all enjoyed the chapter! No lemons yet; it's too early, and I make a rule with myself to have only one per fic. Sorry, but that's how I do it. So, just sit back for the next chapter to come about! Keep holding on...**


	13. Ch 12 - Not Good

**Well, time for the suspense to end... for the time being! Here's a part that I'm sure will provide more substance to the fic! So, just sit back and read on!**

Kira stared wide-eyed at the two men with evil smiles on their face for a moment.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH...!" she screamed.

She was letting out a soul-piercing cry that cause nearly everyone in the coffee shop to stop and stare. Meyers and Baldwin were both looking around uncomfortably. People started whispering among each other, concerned.

Almost immediately, Kira took off, rushing for the exit of the coffee shop. She pushed it open and ran off.

"Stop her!" Meyers said, pulling Baldwin along after him.

The two men rushed outside to the promenade to pursue the fleeing Kira. Kira herself was trying to get to her car. Once she made it, she ducked down on the side, peering through the windows of the vehicle to see if Meyers and Baldwin were around. She did not see them anywhere, so she assumed that it was safe to try and enter her vehicle now. But just as she was reaching for her keys in her pocket...

...someone grabbed her arm, quite firmly.

"Alright, no more fucking around!" Meyers said furiously.

Baldwin grabbed her other arm. "You comin' with us, li'l lady!"

"STOP! LET ME GO! SOMEONE HELP!" Kira cried.

"I'd hold my tongue if I were you, Ms. Sykes." Meyers threatened. "I've got a loaded handgun tucked against my hip. You cry out for help or try to escape, and I'll paint the pavement with your brain!"

Kira felt like her blood had frozen after hearing this.

"You're coming with us back to our temporary sanctuary, where we will decide what to do with you! And then we'll go about tracking Subject SR-724!" Meyers said.

"N-no..." Kira said. "...please don't do anything to Aster..."

"Aster?" Baldwin said. "You namin' somethin' after my son?"

"Son?" Kira asked.

"QUIET!" Meyers snapped.

"Yeah, my son, Aster Baldwin!" Baldwin said. "Either you or one of your little guy-friends murdered him in cold blood! And I think you have to pay for what ya did!"

Kira was totally shocked that this man... was the father of Aster Baldwin, her former crush.

"Enough dabbling! Let's move!" Meyers said.

The two men pulled Kira along, forcing her to walk with them to wherever it was they were going. Kira was scared out of her mind right now. What were they going to do to her? How did they escape prison? How did they arrive back here on Earth? Right now, none of this stuff matter to her... since she wanted to get as far away from them as possible first.

They came to a stoplight, preparing to cross the street with a group of people. None of the people seemed concerned about the two men holding Kira's sleeves tightly.

"Remember, Ms. Sykes... one sound..." Meyers silently warned.

As they stood, waiting for the light to change so they could cross the street... Kira happened to notice a woman right in front of them. This gave her an idea...

She looked at Meyers, and noticed that he was looking off into the distance away from her. And then she turned to Baldwin, and noticed his attention being shifted elsewhere, too. This might just be what she needed in order for it to work.

She sighed. _Please forgive me, ma'am..._ she thought.

Carefully, Kira brought her hand up to the woman's buttocks... and lightly slapped twice, just before instantaneously returning to her casual position. The woman brought her own hand to where Kira slapped her, and turned to see Baldwin... who just so happened to be facing right at her as she turned. The woman's eyes went wide as she gasped. Baldwin raised a brow.

"What's with you?" he asked.

The woman scrunched her lips together, punching Baldwin and knocking him to the ground, causing him to release Kira's sleeve.

"What the...?" Meyers uttered.

" _He_ touched you!" Kira said, pointing to Meyers.

"WHAT?" Meyers asked.

It was all he could manage to say, just before the woman decked him as well. He let go of Kira as well, clutching his face, just as Baldwin was. Both had been disoriented from the sudden punch.

"Thanks!" Kira said to the woman, who smiled and nodded at her.

Immediately, Kira began to try and make her getaway once again. This time, however, she was not going to make the same mistake of going back to her car in plain sight of the two. She had to lose them, and fast, especially since they noticed she took off.

"Stop her!" Baldwin said, standing back up and rushing.

"Don't let her get away!" Meyers added, following quickly behind.

Kira ran as fast as she could, trying to the best of her ability to dodge the shoppers of the outdoor mall. It did not help that the place was rather busy, but on the plus side, it slowed down the two large men. Their fairly large builds were not as agile as Kira's slim figure, especially since she had quite a high range of motion and superior precognition thanks to her being younger than them.

She was rushing through the traffic, which caused some people to slam on their brakes and honk at her. But she did not pay any mind to these people... and apparently, neither did the two escapees. Eventually, she managed to make it to an area of market stalls, with some merchants loudly announcing the sales of their wares. One in particular caught Kira's attention.

"Charm bracelets! Get one for someone special in your life!" the merchant said. "Two for ten dollars! Four for fifteen! This sales ends in just a few minutes!"

Hastily, Kira stopped running and pulled out her wallet.

"I'll take four!" Kira said.

"Okay, that'll be fifteen on the nose!" the man said.

Kira looked back where she came from to see that Meyers and Baldwin were catching up.

"There she is!" Meyers said.

"STOP HER!" Baldwin added.

Quickly, Kira gave the man the money, and took four pre-charmed bracelets.

"Thanks!" Kira said.

"Thank _you_ , young lady!" the merchant said. "Have a good day now!"

 _I wish..._ Kira said as she rushed off again.

She knew what she would have to do with the bracelets... but the key here was timing. With a great deal of strength, she managed to rip the steel chain that held the spherical charms on each bracelet, and let them fall loose into her hands. Once she made it into a clearing where she could round a corner, this is when she made use of them.

Checking her back to see that Meyers and Baldwin were now getting closer due to the lack of people around, she hastily released the charmed behind her, causing them to roll and spread around in her wake. After getting them all on the pavement, she sprinted at full power towards the corner she would round and hopefully lose them from.

Meyers and Baldwin tried to keep up with her... but they ended up slipping and falling to the pavement on the stainless steel, sphere charms.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Meyers shouted as he lost footing.

"WOOOOOOOOAH!" Baldwin screamed as the very same happened to him.

They hit the ground hard, and wound up stunned from the impact. They could not get back up right away. Kira looked back, smirking in delight as she ran around the corner, out of sight from the two. Immediately, she raced back to her car, unlocking it, revving it up, and driving away.

She still could not overcome the immense level of shock that she had endured in that moment. Meyers has escaped from prison! He also had a partner, no less!

"This is not good..." Kira said. "...I have to warn Kai and Sam!"

She drove well above the speed limit... but thankfully, no cops pulled her over on her way back.

(XXXX)

Meyers and Baldwin were both left in the promenade, trying to find Kira, but they found that her car was gone.

"Shit! What are we gonna do now?" Baldwin asked. "She might call the cops on us!"

Meyers pondered for a moment. "...No, she won't."

"Why not?" Baldwin asked.

"Because she knows it won't do any good! We can easily outwit the police with the proper techniques!" Meyers said.

"But still... she got away." Baldwin said.

"This is not a big deal." Meyers said. "She only bested me last time because I underestimated her. Now that I know her style, and what she's capable of, I believe we can outwit _her_! There is not a plan she can come up with that I cannot counter!"

"So," Baldwin began. "how are we gonna go about finding her?"

"Oh, I have a few tricks up my sleeve..." Meyers said.

He reached into his pocket... and pulled out a USB jumpdrive.

"What's that?" Baldwin asked.

"You'll see... all in due time..." Meyers responded.

 **Well, this can't be good, can it? Wonder what's gonna happen with the two parties from here on out? Anyways, thanks for the continued support! It's always appreciated! I'll see you all soon! Keep holding on...**


	14. Ch 13 - He's Back!

**Well, I have returned! Once more, I am bringing another chapter, as per usual. I apologize for the long waits, but I am fairly busy, working forty hours per week, and going to school full-time, and it leaves me with immense Writers' Block. Hopefully, though, I can get vacation time from my employer, and I'll be able to put chapters out a bit faster in the future.**

Kira made it back home, and she rushed inside to grab her phone, since she had left it when she went to the coffee shop in the promenade. Sam happened to catch a glimpse of her as she rushed inside.

"Hey, Kira. What's the rush?" she asked.

"No time!" Kira said, still in a state of panic.

She ran to her bedroom, and immediately dialed in Kai's number via her contacts list. She listened as the line rang.

"C'mon, Kai... pick up..." Kira uttered to herself.

After a moment, there was the sound of a brief shuffle, followed by a voice.

" _...Hello?_ " Kai answered his phone.

"Kai, it's Kira!" Kira said. "Listen, I know that this sounds kinda crazy, and I get if you don't believe me, but..." she hesitated for a moment.

" _...Kira, what is going on?_ " Kai asked, surprised from her worried voice.

She took a breath. "...Dr. Meyers has escaped from prison on Mars!"

The line was silent for a brief moment.

" _Uh... did I mishear you? Did you say Dr. Meyers escaped?_ " Kai finally asked.

"Yes!" Kira said. "I saw him at _Starbucks_! He even _chased_ me!"

" _Are you serious?_ " Kai said.

Kira gulped. "...He also has a partner."

" _Really?_ " Kai said. " _Who is it?_ "

"...Stephen Baldwin." Kira answered.

" _Baldwin..._ " Kai repeated. " _...where have I heard that name before?_ "

"It might sound familiar, because..." Kira briefly trailed off. "...it's the name of that one Ares System cop who tried to arrest us... Aster Baldwin... my former high school crush."

" _What? No way! How can_ that _happen?_ " Kai said.

"I dunno... I guess it's just dumb luck!" Kira said. "But that's not what I'm trying to get at here! Remember what happened a few years ago, with what he tried to do to us?"

" _...How could I forget?_ " Kai answered.

"So... we need to do something to make sure that he doesn't get the drop on _us_ this time around!" Kira said.

" _Well... if what you're saying is true..._ " Kai spoke. " _...I think you're right. We can't let him take his revenge on us!_ "

"Anyways... let's just try and lay low, so he doesn't figure out where we live. And we need to come up with a plan _fast_!" Kira said.

" _Okay, gotcha!_ " Kai said.

"See you around!" Kira said, hanging up.

She left her room to find Aster... only to find Sam hanging outside her door.

"Kira... seriously, like, what's going down?" she asked.

Kira sighed. "Sam, listen... I know this is gonna sound crazy, but... there's this madman who's looking for me and Kai."

"Huh?" Sam questioned.

"He was part of a high-end Xenomorph research project..." Kira began. "...but it turned out that he wanted to claim all the Xenos for himself, under the control of the Queen Xenomorph that he raised and trained personally, and do God-knows-what with them."

"You can't be serious..." Sam said.

"It's true! I was just down at _Starbucks_ this morning... and he and his cronie, or whoever the other guy was, tried to kidnap me! But, I was able to get away with some quick thinking." Kira said.

"So..." Sam began. "...what do we do about it?"

Kira pondered for a moment.

"I don't think the police will be of help this time around; he would probably be a little better at hiding if he and the other guy could escape from a _prison_! We just need to lay low and think about what we can do, since we don't have a lot of options right at the moment. We'll meet up with Kai a little bit later, as well." Kira said.

"Well, okay..." Sam said. "...I still didn't agree to this when I signed the flatmate agreement!"

Kira immediately rushed downstairs to find Aster and Star watching a movie together. They looked at her as she entered.

" _Kira..._ " Aster said. " _...your heart rate is pretty high. What are you so worried about?_ "

"Aster..." Kira began. "...there's no easy way to tell you this but... Dr. Meyers has escaped. He's back on Earth!"

Aster immediately stood bolt upright from the sofa.

" _No... this can't be!_ " he said.

Kira hung her head down. "I'm afraid it's true... he chased me when I was out earlier today!"

" _That son of a..._ " Aster said, hissing. " _...this time, it's REALLY personal! I'll find him... and kill him myself!_ "

"No, Aster. It's too dangerous right now. We need to avoid causing any disturbance for awhile. We can't let him know where I live!" Kira said.

" _Who's Dr. Meyers?_ " Star asked.

"...He's..." Kira began. "...a very dangerous man. Remember those stories we told you about a man who tried to come after me and your father to capture him and I?"

Star nodded.

"Well, Dr. Meyers was that man." Kira said.

" _Perhaps I could be of aid to you, Kira?_ " SORIA asked.

Kira looked up at the AI-enhanced computer.

"SORIA... jeez, you gotta stop interjecting at odd times!" she said.

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA responded. " _However, if you need me to, I can access an online criminal database, and cross-check facial features and physical description via tapping into security cameras around the general vicinity. This will allow you to become aware of the perpetrator Meyers' movements._ "

Kira shook her head. "I think we're done with hacking for a while... I don't wanna land in jail myself!"

" _Very well, Kira. But you may always request assistance from me if you require it._ " SORIA answered, just before wheeling herself out of the room.

"Okay," Kira said. "for now, I think we should just continue our usual daily routine, as long as things don't get too crazy around here. Hopefully, it takes a _long_ while for the two psychos to track us down."

Aster stepped forward.

" _But no matter what happens..._ " he said, wrapping his arms around his mate. " _...I won't let him harm you, Kira. And if he does... I'll make sure he SUFFERS._ "

Kira hugged Aster back.

"Thanks for being protective of me, Aster..." Kira said.

Star, however, had her mind on other things.

 _What's gonna happen? What will this man do if he finds Chase, and I'm not there...?_ she thought.

(XXXX)

Kai found Sugarcube in the kitchen, eating a leftover beef brisket.

"Sugar... I gotta tell you something." Kai said.

" _Yes, my love? What is it?_ " Sugarcube asked, facing Kai.

He pulled out a chair from the table and sat down.

"Listen..." Kai began. "...I think we might be in trouble."

Sugarcube tilted her head. " _What do you mean?_ "

Kai took a deep breath. "...Dr. Meyers has escaped from prison."

Sugarcube froze, her mouth falling slightly open from shock.

" _Um... what? You said... Dr. Meyers... the man who tortured me all those years in that lab... he_ escaped _!?_ " she asked.

Kai nodded. Sugarcube began to hiss in anger.

" _Well, let's go find that ugly bastard, and put him in a bloody grave!_ " she said.

"No, Sugarcube." Kai said. "At this point, we need to lay low and come up with a plan for how to catch them before they realize we're onto them."

Sugarcube sighed. " _Alright..._ " she said.

"So," Kai began. "we know that he escaped from prison... who's to say he wouldn't do it again if he's caught once more? And he has a partner... damn. This is gonna take a while to figure out."

" _Do you think we should kill him if he finds us?_ " Sugarcube asked. " _I'd LOVE to sample some of his blood and flesh!_ "

Kai pursed his lips together. "...Only if push comes to shove..." he said.

" _Should we tell Chase about this?_ " Sugarcube said.

"No." Kai said. "I don't want him to be all stressed out. Hopefully, this can be resolved before anything serious happens. For all we know, Kira is the only one Meyers saw, so I think the Sykes' are his only target for now, not us at the moment."

Little were the two aware... Chase happened to be at the edge of the room, listening in. He was getting extremely worried, not for himself, or just his family... but for Star. That beautiful, young, Xeno girl who visited him quite often.

 _Ngh... why does this have to happen? I don't wanna lose them! Especially not Star!_ He thought.

(XXXX)

Meyers and Baldwin were both creeping around what appeared to be a large computer mainframe, having froze the images of security monitors to make it seem like no one was around.

"This is definitely the place!" Meyers said.

"So... what is all this fancy tech stuff?" Baldwin asked.

"This..." Meyers said, putting a hand on one of the computer modules. "...is one of the most advanced quantum supercalculator structures in the world. This is something I dedicated my _life_ to completing! It runs a highly-complex quantum algorithm that makes up my creation... and that is Virax."

Baldwin tilted his head. "What's 'Virax'?"

"Patience, my friend..." Meyers said, reaching into his pocket.

He pulled out the flashdrive from earlier.

"Now... to link the Superkey. This will allow me full access to the system, completely undetected! I created it in the event my access would be suspended!" Meyers said.

He put the drive into an open port near a laptop computer that was linked to the mainframe, and began to input lines of code into it.

"Now, just keep an eye on the quantum printer in the middle of the room..." Meyers said, pointing to what looked like a large metal cylindrical cabin device in the middle of the massive mainframe.

After several more lines of code, the device began to emit bright light from nearly every small opening, making a loud hum. Eventually, the hatch to the machine opened, emitting a bunch of steam...

...and Kira Sykes stepped out. But... it was not Kira Sykes herself...

Meyers smirked. "Perfect... the com-synth program finally works!"

 **I think things might be going from bad to worse pretty soon! Anyways thanks for waiting for these chapters to come! I'll get back to you guys as soon as I can! Don't expect frequent updates, but don't expect really long waits, either. So, see ya! Keep holding on...**


	15. Ch 14 - Doppelganger

**Well, I've not too much to say at this point, other than "enjoy the next chapter!" XD**

Kira woke up the next morning, and was about to head downstairs for breakfast and coffee, but she happened to hear Sam talking, followed by Star responding sarcastically to some things she was saying.

"Heh... I think it really suits you!" Sam said.

" _Oh, I bet it does..._ " Star responded, clearly aware that Sam could not hear her.

Kira decided to investigate Sam's room, making her way back across the upstairs walkway. She wondered what they were doing.

"Aw, you look so cute in it!"

" _Yeah, I know. Aren't I_ always _cute?_ "

Kira peeked in through the semi-open door, and saw that Star was wearing a pink T-shirt with a red heart on the front, and blue jeans. There were holes cut in them for her tail and dorsal tubes. It appeared that Sam was dressing her up or something.

Kira opened the door, and both Sam and Star looked at her.

"Well, what's going on here?" she asked, smirking.

"Well..." Sam began. "...I figured maybe Star could use a new... look. So, I just decided to let her have some old things that I don't wear anymore."

Star nodded. " _Yeah, I've always wanted to know what clothes feel like._ "

Kira examined the clothes that she was wearing... and happened to notice what was right underneath the T-shirt.

"...A bra? For real?" Kira asked.

Sam shrugged. "One of my old ones... just figured she'd need a way to keep her bust firm!" she said, chuckling.

Star, however, was pulling at it.

" _But... I really don't like how... binding it feels._ " she said.

Kira figured that it was nice for Sam to interact with her Xeno family to know what they were like... even if her methods were a bit unorthodox. Still, as long as Star and Aster were okay with it, Kira did not have a problem with it. Plus, at least they were now pretty comfortable around each other.

"Well, you two have fun!" Kira said. "I have to head to the university for some classes today. You think you can manage without me?"

Sam nodded. "Totally."

" _And I often help her interpret what Aster and Star say, so that she can effectively communicate._ " SORIA said.

"Oh," Kira said, caught off-guard by the sudden interjection once more. "well, thanks SORIA."

With that, Kira was off. She had quite a few classes to take care of for the semester, going full-time. However, fairly soon, after a bit of training... she would be able to go on space mission. She has recently gotten word that her first mission would be for a satellite launch.

(XXXX)

Shortly after some of her classes, Kira spent a bit of time in the library. She was simply working on some material for some projects, not bothering anyone else... but then trouble arose soon enough.

"Well now..." a girl's voice came. "...look what we got here!"

Kira looked up to see a group of girls walking towards her as she was sitting at the computer.

Kira narrowed her eyes. "Andrea..."

"What's the matter, Sykes? You just sittin' here pathetic and alone? What, don't got yourself a _guy_ to go out with? You just wanna be a _loser_ all your life and not be any fun?" Andrea asked.

It was Andrea Barlow, the president of the Gamma-Kappa sorority.

 _Why do I always have bad run-ins with sorority presidents...? She might be even_ worse _than Ashley was..._ Kira thought.

"I don't think you can go around judging people you don't even know!" Kira said.

"Oh, well I just _did_! So I _can_!" Andrea said.

Kira glared, but all of the sorority student just laughed.

"Anyways, if you were part of our group, you wouldn't be having this problem! Because we'd help you to stay away from all the stupid bums and bitches at this campus!" Andrea said.

"...I think I can tell who's _really_ a stupid person on my own, thank you very much." Kira said.

"Good," Andrea said. "because there's _no bitches like you_ allowed in Gamma-Kappa!"

"That's it! I'm out!" Kira said, storming off from the computer just after logging off.

She made her way out of the library, away from the laughing, bratty group of sorority girls... however, there had been someone, or rather some _thing_ , else that had been watching them...

The com-synth of Kira had managed to spot what the real input on the computer. Immediately, the clone made her way into the library to the closest available computer, and input Kira's username and password. At that moment, Andrea happened to spot the Kira clone.

"Not givin' up, huh?" she said, making her way over to the clone.

The clone looked at Andrea briefly, just before returning to what she was doing on the computer. Right now, she was trying to access information about Kira, namely where she lived, as well as contact info... all of which Meyers was planning to use. However, she was facing some... human difficulties.

"Oh, you think changing your hair and your clothes that fast makes you think everyone sees you as another girl?" Andrea asked.

The Kira clone simply dismissed Andrea... up until she started waving her hand in front of clone-Kira's face.

"Helloooo? You still got a brain in there? Oh, wait... you never even _had_ one to—"

Andrea stopped speaking right as the clone, without even the slightest change of expression, grabbed her wrist... hard. She pulled Andrea's arm out of the way of her face, and slammed it to the desk.

"Ow! OW!" Andrea shrieked. "Get her off me!"

The other sorority members rushed over and tried to pry the Kira clone's arm away... but they could not get her to budge.

"Stop! Let her go now!" one of the students said.

The clone complied and released Andrea. All of the girls quickly rushed away, leaving the clone alone to do her work. She began to access Kira's school files, looking through all of the folders. When it could not find anything, it accessed the school database. Using the information from the quantum supercomputer from which she had originated, the clone managed to input a master password for the student databases.

Once inside, she looked up Kira's name, and was able to identify her address and phone number. The Kira clone then began to remotely transmit this information back to the supercomputer. With the job done, she logged out of the computer, and prepared to stand up to leave... but someone else decided to interrupt her.

"Kira Sykes!" an instructor said as they approached.

Knowing to respond to the name, the clone looked back at where it was coming from. The instructor grabbed the clone's arm, making her stand.

"Dean Vaughn would like to have a word with you..." the instructor said, just before escorting her to the administration center.

(XXXX)

The com-synth Kira was escorted to Dean Vaughn's office, where he spent a good quarter of an hour scolding her for what she had done to Andrea earlier.

"Words cannot describe how upset I am!" Dean Vaughn said. "This isn't like you, Ms. Sykes! Deliberately hurting the president of a sorority house? Why would you do this? Ms. Barlow is still very upset! She was in tears when she reported the incident!"

"...That girl was harassing me when I did not do anything to her..." the clone said in a monotone, emotionless way.

"It does not matter! You do not take matters into your own hands! You report it to a staff member or security! So, for this, I'm giving you four hours of detention in the library!" Vaughn said.

The Kira clone sat, staring at the floor, and saying nothing.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Ms. Sykes?" Dean Vaughn asked.

The clone still said nothing, continuing to stare at the floor.

"Why won't you answer me?" Vaughn demanded.

Again, the clone held her tongue. Dean Vaughn's face began to lose some of its anger, and became more concerned.

"Kira..." Vaughn began. "...has something been... troubling you?"

Kira's clone glanced up for a brief moment, and then returned her gaze to the floor.

"...Would you care to tell me what's being going on?" Dean Vaughn asked.

The clone turned her head off to the side, looking out the window. Still, it showed no emotion... except perhaps very slight anger.

"Kira, I'm here to help you. That's part of my job." Dean Vaughn stated.

When the clone continued to stay silent, Vaughn was beginning to lose his patience once more.

"Ms. Sykes... do I need to call your family to tell them about what's happened?" he said, reaching for the phone.

The clone stood up, putting her hand over the phone to stop him from picking it up. She glared at him.

"...Not my family..." she demanded.

"Let go of the phone immediately, Ms. Sykes!" Dean Vaughn said, raising his tone.

With that, the Kira clone started trying to pull the phone away from him, but he clung on to it.

"Not my family!" the now-angered clone said.

"Ms. Sykes, if you do not comply right this instant, you will be suspended!" Dean Vaughn shouted.

The clone snapped the phone out of his hand, holding it above her head... and for a fraction of a second, he saw the silhouette of the WY logo flash on her forehead for a brief moment.

"W-what the...?" Vaughn stammered.

But he did not say too much more; Kira's clone brought the phone down hard, striking Dean Vaughn over the head and knocking him to the floor. He hastily tried to press the alarm button on his desk, but the clone pinned him with her leg. She then punched him in the jaw... hard. He slumped over, completely unconscious.

The phone made an idle "busy" beeping sound that broke what would have otherwise been dead silence.

The clone then knelt down next to the unconscious Dean, placing her right-hand middle and index fingers on his forehead. Her fingers, and the spot on his forehead, began to glow a green color, generating criss-cross patterns of visible binary codes. She continued this for a few seconds before stopping.

The clone had just wiped his memory of the incident... and happened to copy a few vital memories of his own to the supercomputer, where they could be useful to Meyers...

Now that she had obtained the information she was instructed to. The clone promptly left the office, being careful not to draw any attention to herself on the way out... aside from the inhuman, robotic-looking walk and dead stare that some of the students noticed.

 **Well... things are getting worse as time goes on. Let's hope the heroes can come up with a way to stop these potential attacks before they happen! So, thank you all for being so patient with me! I promise to keep going strong! Keep holding on...**


	16. Ch 15 - False Lead

**Thanks again for waiting so patiently for the new chapter! I appreciate all the feedback I've been receiving! It really helps us writers. So, let's get on with the story!**

Dean Vaughn had been in his office, only a week after the incident with Kira's computerized clone. Since his memory of the incident was wiped, he woke up on his office floor very confused. The staff could not figure out what happened, since there were no security cameras in the office; only a few in the hallways (the university wanted to uphold their reputation as a safe campus, so they had few cameras, which they felt would make people believe they were paranoid).

Regardless, the incident was dismissed, and Vaughn continued to work, but as he did, there was a knocking at the door.

Vaughn looked up from his laptop. "Come in!" he said.

The door opened... and two people, one male and one female in all-black suits and sunglasses, stepped inside. They both had a standard-issue acoustic tube earpiece.

"Pierre Vaughn?" the suited man said.

"Yes...?" Vaughn asked.

The male suit stepped forward, grabbing Dean Vaughn by the arm.

"Agh! What the...?" Vaughn uttered.

"We have a couple of questions to ask you, Mr. Vaughn." the female suit said.

"You've got an affinity for terrorist bombers, especially the long-range type!" the male suit said.

"What?" Vaughn asked.

The man continued: "We have reason to believe that you are affiliated with a group of bombers attempting to obtain ICBM-type nuclear weaponry."

Dean Vaughn was shocked.

"...But, I assure you, I am a highly-regarded campus dean!" he said.

The suited man stared through his sunglasses, just before releasing Vaughn.

"Okay, we believe you..." he said.

Dean Vaughn massaged his arm. "What is the meaning of this? Who are you people?"

"We represent an ultra-high division of the United States Secret Service so obscure and concealed, the President himself has no idea that we exist." the female agent said.

"Even _we_ don't know who we really are." the male agent said.

"Last night, a government defense computer mainframe was hacked, and highly-sensitive weapons information was copied and stolen. We traced the hacker via a phone number that was left behind. We have analyzed it to find that it is also registered in this school mainframe." the female agent said, holding up a small note in Vaughn's face. "Whose phone is it?"

After doing a bit of searching in the student database, Dean Vaughn escorted the agents to the address of the student in question with the matching number... which happened to be Kira's.

"This house, I assume, is occupied by Kira Sykes." Vaughn said once they arrived. "She is a fairly hard-working student here at the university."

The agents immediately picked the lock and entered the house. They search around, and eventually found Kira's laptop and desktop computers in her office.

"There's something I just don't understand..." the male agent said. "...it's impossible to hack into the mainframe using _this_ equipment. She would require a much more powerful CPU cluster configuration."

"Something not available to the general public." the female agent added. "The question is... where is it, and how did she get her hands on it? Who are her affiliates? And which terrorist cell is she working for?"

Dean Vaughn's eyes widened. "Our Kira... a _terrorist_!? I... I can't even bring myself to believe it..."

"We're going to apprehend this Kira Sykes and question her about her activities." the male agent said.

Little did any of the three know... they were being watched.

SORIA was hidden behind a plant in the corner, monitoring them with her screen switched off, but the webcam above it enabled, zooming in on the agents and Dean Vaughn, analyzing and registering their facial features.

Aster also happened to be out in the hallway, clinging to the ceiling like Spider-Man, shrouded in the darkness due to the lack of windows or open doors in the upstairs hallway.

 _They call my Kira a threat?_ Aster said. _Not in front of_ me _. I'd love to slaughter them, but... I gotta keep reminding myself about what Kira said about murder._

Star, however, was hiding in a crawl space in the wall, remaining absolutely motionless. If the United States Secret Service were to find them... Kira would be in _deep_ trouble.

 _Mom... please don't let them take you from us._ Star thought.

(XXXX)

Kira had been out doing a bit of window-shopping in her spare time. She was looking at various laptops, as she was considering getting a new one; her old one was getting really slow compared to current PCs at this point. She wanted a good, powerful one... and since she was feeling a bit frisky, she decided to look at a few gaming laptops as well. As she was browsing... she happened to hear a voice in her right-hand ear.

" _Kira, can you hear me?_ " came SORIA's voice.

Kira glanced up, briefly surprised, but then realized that she still had the earpiece in her ear; it just came as instinct for her to wear it.

"Uh, yeah SORIA. What's up?" Kira asked.

" _Kira,_ " SORIA said through the earpiece. " _I am currently monitoring three intruders who have entered your house. Did you give them permission to enter your residence?_ "

"What?" Kira asked, immediately anxious. "Are they robbers? What do they look like?"

She _really_ hoped that Meyers had not figured out where she lived.

" _Two of them are in all-black suits with sunglasses, one male with fair skin and a shaved head, one female with shoulder-length dark-blonde hair. The remaining one has short, gray hair, glasses, and a tan suit._ " SORIA said.

It took Kira a moment to piece together the description.

"...It's gotta be Dean Vaughn." she said. "But then... who are those other two? What are they doing there?"

" _I cannot identify them._ " SORIA said. " _Though I have registered their physical features, I cannot cross-match it with any database on the internet. It appears that the two in black suits have no information on the worldwide web._ "

Kira immediately began to make her way out of the computer store without any further looking. She had to get back to see what was up... she really hoped that SORIA was japing her or something.

" _If you would like, I can euthanize them with a halogen gas tank that I have in my main housing unit._ " SORIA said.

"NO, SORIA!" Kira said. "You can't kill anyone! Just sit there, and don't draw their attention! I don't wanna be spending the day picking up your pieces off the carpet!"

(XXXX)

Kira had made it back to her house. She pulled up into the driveway, and was about to make her way up to her house... when another car began to pull up. It was jet-black, and had government markings.

"What the...?" Kira uttered.

Two people in black suits stepped out, briskly walking towards her, pulling out handguns from shoulder holsters under their jackets.

"Set down the handbag!" the female agent said.

"You're under arrest!" the male agent followed up.

This got Kira's adrenaline going sky-high.

"But..." she began. "...what have I done?"

"That's for you to tell us, Miss!" the female agent said. "Get in the back of the car!"

"H-hey...! Wait!" Kira said as she was being pulled by the agents to the vehicle.

They shut her inside the vehicle and drove off. Her handbag was left sitting on the curb of her driveway. Shortly after the car was out of sight... Aster and Star emerged from the house, trying to feel for Kira's brainwaves. They could both tell she was already far away.

" _Wh-what are they gonna do to Mom?_ " Star asked.

She hugged her father anxiously. He reassuringly rubbed her head.

" _It'll be okay, sweetie._ " Aster said. " _I know your mother. She_ always _finds a way out of bad situations..._ "

(XXXX)

A little while later, Kai was going to visit Kira. He wanted to see when they could arrange their next game night. He decided to go over to her house just to check up on her. One could never know how she was faring with Meyers on the loose. He parked on the street... and noticed a strange, black car parked in her driveway. It was not Kira's. Suspicious, he pulled back a few feet to be concealed by the trees and shrubbery before getting out of his car.

Kai then slowly sneaked his way behind the trees, trying to see what was up... and within seconds, caught sight of a man in a black suit, stalking around Kira's property. He appeared to be taking pictures with a camera.

"What the hell...?" Kai uttered.

Hastily, he pulled out his phone, and tried to call Kira, seeing if she was alright...

(XXXX)

Kira had been taken by the female agent to an isolated office at the University, while the male agents took another car after briefly parking. Dean Vaughn was waiting for them; he wanted to hear what Kira had to say about all of this. They questioned her for roughly a quarter of an hour... but of course, Kira denied any of their claims.

"I swear to you..." Kira said. "...I've never hacked _any_ information before in my life! I can't use computers very well!"

Just as the agent and dean were about to speak, Kira's phone rang. The agent picked up the phone, putting it on speakerphone.

" _Kira...?_ " Kai said after hearing silence for a moment. ". _..What's going on? There's some G-man sneaking around your house!_ "

"KAI!" Kira shouted. "THIS IS ALL DR. MEYERS' DOING! COME BACK RIGHT NOW!"

The agent promptly hung up the phone, and shifted her gaze back to Kira.

"Very interesting..." she said. "...who is this 'Dr. Meyers'? The guy who recruited your affiliates?"

"Please listen..." Kira said. "...just trust me on this, and let me go. I have to help my family!"

" _Kira,_ " SORIA spoke. _"my scanners indicate that a com-synth is about to materialize in your general vicinity._ "

"What?" Kira said.

"What do you mean 'what'?" the agent asked.

Out of nowhere, something began to materialize with a bright flash. There were visible patterns of binary code appearing in midair, forming a humanoid shape. After a moment... an exact copy of Kira appeared.

"Huh...?" Dean Vaughn said.

The agent pulled out her handgun again... but this made the clone react by rushing at her, knocking the gun out of her hand, and punching her in the jaw. The agent fell to the floor as she lost consciousness.

"Gah! NO!" Dean Vaughn said, just as the clone of Kira turned towards him.

She immediately did the same thing to him, knocking him out. Shocked, Kira stood from her chair to try and escape. The synth was about to go after her... but first, she wiped the agent's memory, as well as Vaughn's, since she had been instructed to by commands input into her parent supercomputer. With that, she immediately tried to pick up on Kira's trail... but she was nowhere that the clone could see.

(XXXX)

Kira had managed to escape. She ran from the university all the way back to her house. She could not be calling a cab or taking a bus, since she wanted to draw as little attention as possible right now. If the government was accusing her for hacking... she was really in some deep trouble.

She made it back, and bent over, gasping for breath.

"Well..." she said, panting. "...there's my workout... for the year..."

"Kira!" Kai's voice said.

Kira looked where the voice was coming from to see Kai rushing towards her.

"Kai!" she responded. "What's going on? Where did you see that other suit?"

"He's... asleep. Right on your stoop." Kai said.

"Huh?" Kira asked.

"I dunno, he was walking around your house, and then he started looking drowsy and disoriented, just before he lowered himself to the patio floor and was out." Kai said.

Kira immediately realized what it was.

"Aster... he must've telepathically sedated him." she said. "I know because he's done it to me know-whos-how-many times."

"So, like... what's going on?" Kai asked. "Did the government find out about Aster and Star?"

Kira shook her head. "...They think I hacked into some weapons mainframe, but I just _know_ it was really Dr. Meyers! I mean, really, the guy's evil, and he always has several tricks up his sleeve! We've seen it before with his Queen!"

"But you really think he could have a well-thought-out plan shortly after busting out of prison and finding you?" Kai asked.

"Who knows?" Kira answered. "Plus, while I was being interrogated... something totally _insane_ happened."

"What?" Kai asked.

"Well, you're not gonna believe me when I tell you, but... a clone of me emerged out of thin air." Kira said.

Kai looked dumbstruck. "Kira, are you serious? Are you just making this up?"

"No! It really happened!" Kira said. "There was a bright flash, and then random lines of computer code appeared in the air, like some sort of hologram, and it created a clone of me that knocked out the agent and Dean Vaughn! I escaped before she could come after me!"

"Wait..." Kai said, pondering. "...they _exist_!? No way... I thought it was just a hoax... a story for the science journals..."

Kira looked lost. "What do you mean?"

Kai looked back at her.

"...I think that clone of you might have been a com-synth." he said.

"Com-what now?" Kira asked.

"A com-synth." Kai said. "Short for 'computerized synthetic'. It's essentially an exact copy of a living thing based on biometrics, mainly obtained through medical records. In all essence... that synth was _you_ , Kira... but with only basic brain functions. Motor skills, basic dictionary memory, psychological adaptation, improvisation... but no emotions, no fond memories. It's no more human than a robot, psychologically."

"But... how do they make them?" Sam asked.

"Two ways." Kai began. "The first one, which is the first way it was done, was using quantum computers to produce human embryos containing the chromosomes of an individual's blood, growing them at the same rate as a human being. The second one, the more advanced way, probably which Dr. Meyers used... it involves a highly-sophisticated quantum computer; one that can manipulate matter, on a subatomic level, into anything specified, including biometrics."

Kira shook her head.

"No way..." she said. "...that kind of technology... it doesn't exist yet. Even WY doesn't have anything as advanced as that!"

"Well... given how dedicated Dr. Meyers was with his work... I think he might've achieved some breakthroughs in his life, and developed a quantum machine that can create such things. Improbable, definitely... impossible, no." Kai said.

"But..." Kira said. "...if he can get access to _this_ kind of technology..."

Kai pursed his lips, thinking. "...I think we might need to try and locate this quantum mainframe Dr. Meyers has his hands on."

"But where would we even begin to _look_?" Kira asked.

Kai was thinking heavily... up until something came to his mind.

"Kira, do you remember when we hacked into Elisabeth White's computer, and learned about that quantum computer that was being used for this 'Project: SUBCON'?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Kira remembered. "...do you think...?"

Kai nodded. "It might just be that very same computer... but there's only one way to find out."

"...We need to look for a solar farm." Kira said.

"And it has to be within a certain proximity to a WY building." Kai added.

"Okay," Kira said. "let's put Dr. Meyers on the coals for good this time!"

 **Well, hope you all like the long chapter! I'm aware that the story might seem a bit bland for now, but there are more twists and turns to come, so just sit back, let the chapters come... and hope that I don't accidentally die at some point, which would permanently stop the fic. XD So, I'll catch you guys later! Keep holding on...**


	17. Ch 16 - Technological Wonder

**Okay, so it's time to, once again, incorporate some key plot points in the story, which will serve a major purpose later in the story. So, I hope you all like it!**

"I dunno, Kai..." Kira said. "...you sure this is it?"

Kai looked at his tablet, and then back at the scene they were facing.

"...It's gotta be. I just _know_ it." he said.

They were standing outside of the fence of a fairly large farm of photovoltaic panels, anchored to the ground. A skyscraper sat not too far away from it.

"The building is a WY building, that's for sure." Kai said. "And the city already has a nuclear power plant, which outputs more than enough power for the entire city. So, where else would all _this_ solar power be getting redirected to?"

Kira looked at the ground for a moment.

"...A giant computer mainframe?" she asked.

Kai nodded. "Exactly. I assume that, because it requires a massive amount of electricity to run a highly-advanced quantum computer cluster, they would need to use solar electricity to make it independent of the city's power, and have it run on battery or generator power when the sun is not out."

"So... if this is it..." Kira said.

"...we'll have to come back later tonight if we're gonna have any chance of being unnoticed. I'm sure there would be a _ton_ of security during the day, but only a smaller amount at night." Kai finished.

(XXXX)

Kai was grabbing some gear that he would need in order to infiltrate the Weyland supercomputer complex. He would take his phone, a bug detector, a handheld electromagnet, a high-powered laser pointer, a lockpicking kit, a ski mask, and for insurance sake... he decided to bring his handgun with him as well. He hoped he would not have to use his lethal device.

Sugarcube was unsure about this whole thing.

" _Kai... are you sure about this? What if something happens to you?_ " Sugarcube asked.

"I'll be fine, Sugar." Kai said. "Don't worry about me."

Sugarcube wrapped her arms around her mate.

" _How can I_ not _worry about you, Kai?_ " Sugarcube asked. " _You're my hero... my warrior... so, it's best if I return the favor for you._ "

Kai looked up at her as she let go. "What do you mean?"

" _I wanna come with you! I wanna be there if you need me! Besides, I think you're gonna need all the help you can get on this one._ " Sugarcube said.

"Sugarcube... I can't do that." Kai said. "I don't want Weyland-Yutani to recapture you... don't you remember what happened before we met?"

Sugarcube hung her head down.

" _...I can never forget those twenty years._ " she said. " _And that's why I want to help you bring them down! I will only have a sense of closure if I am involved in their downfall!_ "

Her human mate sighed, but smiled while doing so.

"...Okay, Sugarcube." Kai said. "I concede; you can come. But you have to do _exactly_ as I say."

" _Okay, fair enough._ " Sugarcube said. " _You be the master, and I'll be the pet._ "

They both laughed for a bit, and then Kai decided to visit Chase really quick, just to let him know to stay hidden.

"Chase, your mother and I are going out for a while. Just stay here, and don't leave for any reason. Keep all the doors and windows locked, and the curtains down. There's food in the fridge and pantry if you get hungry." Kai said.

" _Okay._ " Chase said. " _But, what's going on, Dad?_ "

"Well..." Kai began. "...your mom and I have some... things to attend to. We'll be back soon. But..."

He thought for a moment.

"Maybe it would be best to leave you over at the Sykes house with Star, since Kira has a roommate to look after you, and a SORIA unit, which will help to alert you if anything goes wrong." Kai said.

Chase sat bolt upright.

 _Wait... I finally get to be with Star? And ALONE?_ He thought, a big smile forming on his face. _YES! Finally, we get a chance to really spend time together!_

Without dawdling for too long, the two left with their son to drop him off in good faith that he would remain hidden, and took to the streets over to Kira's house.

(XXXX)

Kira got all the equipment she had available at her disposal, which was not nearly as good as what Kai had, but she was bringing her stun gun, just in case.

"Listen, Kir..." Sam said. "...this is just _crazy_ , what you're doing..."

"I know... but we can't keep letting Weyland get away with this! We need to stop Meyers' experiments for good!" Kira said.

Aster walked in on her in that moment, shortly after she explained what was going on.

" _Kira, listen..._ " Aster began. " _...would it be okay if I... came with you? Y'know... just to make sure you're okay?_ "

Kira darted her eyes around for a moment. "I don't know... it would probably be better if you stayed here with Star. I don't want to take the chance of having you captured for a third time... especially with what Dr. Meyers did to you..." she said.

Aster hung his head down. He remembered quite well what happened.

Some time after having met Kira, Aster was tracked down by Meyers with the help of a Xenomorph Queen he had personally raised and trained, and had the very same Queen take control of his mind, effectively making him into Meyers' slave, as he would obey the Queen, who was loyal only to Meyers.

However, Kira was able to break the shackle on his mind by making him remember who she was... and it proved beyond a doubt that the love within his heart was stronger than the hold on his brain. Unfortunately, the Queen embedded a function into his brain that could cause his vital bodily functions to cease once he was self-aware, free of her influence.

Because of this, he had nearly died... but once again, his love for Kira was what helped him to cheat death. She was the one thing he had to live for... and he manifested the will to overcome death to be with his true love. It was during these events when Kira realized how much Aster really meant to her.

Sure, Kira really liked Aster before then, but it eventually came to fruition that she truly loved him, just as he did for her.

" _...I know that Meyers' Queen is dead, but..._ " Aster began. " _...I can still feel her... inside my mind... it's almost like she left some sort of... imprint... on my brain..._ "

"Well, you don't ever have to worry about her again, Aster." Kira said. "And, if you really want... I guess you can come with us. Wouldn't hurt to have a naturally-skilled predatory alien as backup!"

" _Great!_ " Aster said. " _I look forward to bringing down Meyers after everything he did to me and my kind..._ "

Kira then decided to inform their daughter about what was going on.

"Star," Kira began. "your father and I are going out for a while."

" _For what?_ " Star asked.

Kira pondered for a moment about how to tell her.

"We've got some... business to take care of." she said. "We'll be back in a little bit."

" _Okay._ " Star said.

Kira then went to find SORIA.

"SORIA," she said. "do you think you and Sam could keep an eye on Star for us while we're gone?"

" _Understood, Kira._ " SORIA answered. " _And I can simultaneously assist you on your task as well, provided you would be willing to carry a sensor for me to obtain data of your surroundings._ "

"Okay, sure. Why not?" Kira answered.

SORIA then dispensed a single device, resembling a microchip, which Kira clipped to the front of her shirt.

"Okay... so, you ready to go, Aster?" Kira asked.

Aster nodded. " _Definitely! I've waited a long time for this..._ "

"We just have to wait for Kai to show up." Kira said.

After a bit of waiting, Kai's vehicle pulled up into Kira's driveway, and she and Aster went out to meet up with him. The first thing they noticed where the Xenos riding with him.

"...What are Sugarcube and Chase doing here?" Kira asked.

"Sugarcube wanted to tag along." Kai answered. "Chase, however, I felt it best, should be left here with Star and SORIA."

"Well... I guess that's okay. I mean, as long as Sugarcube is good at hiding." Kira said.

" _Don't worry, Kira. Stealth is practically in a Xenomorph's blood._ " Sugarcube said.

"Okay, so let's show Chase inside, shall we?" Kai said.

With that, they escorted Chase to Kira's house... and by "escort," it basically went with him rushing to the door and opening it hastily without even bothering to close it after entering.

" _Star! Where are you, Star?_ " Chase called around.

Star was in her room, and, immediately recognizing the voice, rushed out of her room downstairs to see the young male Xenomorph Drone who called her.

" _Chase!_ " she said, lunging at him and giving him a hug. " _Oh, it's so good to see you after so long!_ "

Chase returned the hug to his crush.

" _...It's good to see you too, Star._ " he responded.

"Okay, so we'll just leave you two on your own." Kira said. "There's some food in the fridge if you get hungry. We'll hopefully be back before morning."

" _Okay! Bye, Mom!_ " Star said.

"Bye, sweetie!" Kira responded.

With that, the four adults set off, driving away from Kira's house in Kai's car. They watched until they were out of sight.

" _Ah, alone at last..._ " Star said.

" _So..._ " Chase said, slightly anxious. " _...whaddya wanna do?_ "

Star thought for a moment.

" _Well... we could play some video games and watch some scary movies! SORIA can help us get it all set up._ " she said.

" _Excellent idea!_ " Chase acknowledged.

With that, the two young Drones went back into the house, where they encountered Sam.

"Well, okay..." she said. "...let's make ourselves at home, I guess..."

With that, Sam and the two Xenos began to make sure to lock up the place real tight to ensure no intruders could spot them, and SORIA enabled the sensors that Kira had placed all over the exterior of her house...

(XXXX)

They had made it to the building where the supercomputer they were looking for was assumed to be. Fortunately, there was minimal security, since it was a building that the public could access... but the place was locked down for the night.

"Guess we'll just have to improvise..." Kira said, pulling out a small multitool.

She then punctured her finger, which drew blood fairly quickly, and she traced her finger in a circle on the glass of the door. Her blood melted through the thick, shatterproof glass on the door, which allowed a circle of it to be pushed out without shattering and triggering sensor alarms.

"...Guess this is where being part-Xenomorph really pays off, huh?" Kira commented.

Her finger healed in just a few seconds due to her mutated DNA allowing her to heal as quickly as an actual Xenomorph.

"Okay, let's get inside an in a blind spot before someone sees us!" Kai said.

With that, the pair of humans and Xenos entered the building, which appeared to be deserted. Kira decided to give an update to SORIA.

"Alright, SORIA..." Kira spoke into her earpiece. "...we've made it inside the building."

" _Acknowledged, Kira._ " SORIA answered.

"Could you put Sam on for us?" Kira asked.

" _Yes, I shall signal for her to use my interface to communicate with you._ " SORIA said.

It took a moment, but Kira thought she could hear a bit of shuffling in the background.

"Sam?" Kira asked. "You hear me?"

" _Yeah, SORIA just told me you wanted to talk to me. What's going on?_ " Sam called through their earpieces.

"We're in!" Kira said. "How are things looking on your end?"

" _Uh... everything's fine here. Nobody's come up to the house._ " Sam said.

" _I have not detected any human motion outside of your residence, Kira._ " SORIA spoke.

"Okay, good..." Kira said. "...now we just need to locate where the computer is..."

" _My sensor is detecting heavy electrical activity directly underneath you, a few stories down._ " SORIA said.

"Wait... so, it's under the building!" Kai said.

"Okay... now we just gotta find a stairwell or elevator..." Kira said.

" _I don't sense any other people nearby..._ " Aster said.

SORIA interjected. " _I advise caution, Kira; there are security cameras in the hallways beyond the entrance hall._ "

"Cameras?" Kai asked, reaching into his pocket. "I can take care of that..."

The four made their way to the hall, and stopped upon seeing the first camera. Kai had pulled out his high-powered laser pointer, and aimed it directly at the photoreceiver of the camera. After a few seconds, he put it out.

"Okay, it should be blinded..." Kai said. "...but we gotta move fast, since it might only last for a few seconds."

With that, they quickly rushed down the hall to the next stretch, and Kai continued the process of temporarily blinding the cameras, and all of them rushing forward. They continued until they saw a heavy metal door with a sign indicating that it was a staircase, and another sign that read " _AUTHORIZED PERSONEL ONLY_ ".

" _That must be it!_ " Sugarcube said.

They tried to open it up... but it was locked.

"Damn it!" Kira said. "How are we gonna get down there?"

" _Allow me..._ " Aster said, stepping forward.

He opened his mouth, and sprayed his blood at the door. It took a moment, but it damaged the locking mechanism sufficiently for the door to be opened.

"Wow! Good one, Aster!" Kira remarked.

They quickly proceeded down the stairs for some distance, into what appeared to be a basement. They came across a sliding door, but fortunately, there was no lock. All they did was press the control panel, and it opened up.

Once they made it inside, they were able to get a decent look at their surroundings. There were several identical machines, each one eight feet tall, with dark blue lighting on the rims and glass on the sides, all organized in perfect rows, and stretched for what seemed to be the size of a football field. There were fans all around the room rotating so fast, it looked like they could chop one's fingers off like butter. A humming noise from all the machines could be heard over the whooshing of the fans. Luckily, there were no cameras in the room.

"Woah..." Kai said, stepping forward to examine one of the machines. "...this is definitely a computer mainframe."

"Why is it so cold in here?" Kira asked, closing her arms.

"Given how much heat the computers must be giving off, they probably supercool this room with flowing air that is several degrees below freezing." Kai said.

At that moment, Sam's voice came over Kira and Kai's earpieces.

" _Have you guys found anything interesting?_ " Sam asked.

"We appear to have stumbled onto some sort of... computer mainframe." Kai said.

" _Computer mainframe? What's it look like?_ " Sam asked.

"Uh..." Kai began looking carefully through the glass of one of the machine modules. "...looks like a series of node modules arranged in... possibly a massive cluster... a supercomputer..."

"This must be it!" Kira said.

Kai carefully continued to examine the inside of the closest computer module, observing the many motherboards stacked on top of each other, and the fluid-filled pipes that appeared to serve as a heat exchange system, as they went into a narrow part of the module that emitted a lot of heat out of the vents.

"Do you think we should try to access the computer and see what sort of data it has?" Kira asked.

" _Totally! A supercomputer system in a place like that... it's definitely worth looking into!_ " Sam said.

" _Is there a way you can access the system on your end?_ " SORIA asked.

After looking around for a few seconds, Kai spotted a chair with a keyboard and mouse in front of it, along with dual monitors with streaming lines of code on them.

"Yes: there's an interface!" Kai said, walking over.

Kira was busy glancing around.

"What's the matter, Kira?" Kai asked.

"...I'm just worried about cameras." she said.

"I don't think there could be cameras in here." Kai said. "It would be a terrible idea to put cameras or microphones in a room containing top-secret technology."

With that, Kai sat down in the chair in front of the interface while Kira, Aster, and Sugarcube watched.

"Alright..." Kai said, cracking his knuckles before hovering his hand above the keyboard. "...let's see what this bad boy's got under the hood..."

He set himself to work, inputting commands to access the supercomputer's OS.

"SORIA, can you analyze the data that I am going to send you?" Kai said into his headset. "Once I plug you in, you should be able to interpret the entire mainframe, as well as the IP address."

" _Understood, Kai._ " SORIA answered. " _Connect the wireless transmitter to any open data port in the general area of the computer interface._ "

Kai plugged in SORIA's transmitter into an open Ethernet port, and a window opened with lines of rapid code appearing in it.

"Hopefully, SORIA can read through the entire mainframe's data." Kai said.

" _There appears to be a firewall. It will take me a few moments to hack through it._ " SORIA said.

"Okay... but hurry!" Kai urged.

It took several minutes, with various status windows popping up due to SORIA accessing the system on an encrypted, near-undetectable connection. But, she was able to finish up, and open a window containing the mainframe information.

" _I have conducted a basic analysis of the system architecture._ " SORIA said. " _The nodes each consist of a motherboard housing four quantum processors, as well as state-of-the-art water-memory disks. I believe this has a ninety-seven percent chance of being one of the most advanced supercomputer mainframes in the world._ "

"Wow..." Kai said. "...this whole setup... is a _quantum cluster supercomputer_!? Christ... how much did this thing COST!?"

" _I estimate that, from the components used, the cost of the system would be likely within the range of—_ " SORIA spoke before getting cut off.

"It was a rhetorical question, SORIA..." Kai said.

" _I will now display a system analysis page on the interface screen. Please leave the transmitter plugged in while I do so._ " SORIA said.

With that, lines of data began to appear on both of the screens. Kai was careful to skim over it as it passed. From what he could deduce, it was the source code of the entire system.

"Okay, let's see..." Kai said, looking over the data. "...this supercomputer runs on the customized hybrid kernal that WY developed, but..." he looked over the entire computer. "...none of these modules have been registered into the Weyland network. It's completely off the grid..."

He started inputing data on his own, trying to narrow down what it was they were looking for to see what the computer was running. It showed data that looked promising, but going over it did not seem to yield any real results for Kai.

"Hm... this data doesn't make any sense..." Kai said. "...I keep seeing binary references to something called 'Virax,' but... I have no idea what it means."

"...Maybe you could try to look into it more?" Kira suggested.

"I guess..." Kai said.

(XXXX)

While the four continued their mission... they had no idea that they were being watched from the next room over...

Behind a piece of one-way glass... Meyers and Baldwin were observing the four of them.

"Well now... it's Mr. Ripley accompanying Ms. Sykes..." Meyers said. "...he is also responsible for my arrest! And what a treat! They brought Subjects SR-724, and VX-429!"

Baldwin stared at the group in shock.

"What the hell are they doin' with _aliens_!?" he asked. "How are they not being slaughtered like pigs!?"

Meyers sighed. "Apparently, Ms. Sykes is a sort of Xenomorph Whisperer... as is Mr. Ripley, apparently. They have somehow managed to befriend these abominations, and humiliate me and all of Weyland!"

"Well..." Baldwin said. "...let's give them a piece of our minds, why don't we? Should we go through with our plan, now?"

Meyers nodded, an evil grin on his face. He hovered his hand over a valve, with a pipe that led into the next room, stemming from a tank they had hooked it up to.

"So... let's give these children the equivalent of a warm glass of milk, shall we...?" Meyers said, turning the valve...

(XXXX)

Kai continued to try and figure out what program the supercomputer was running, and what "Virax" could be, as well as how this computer relates to this top-secret Project: SUBCON. After a little bit, Kira began to notice a distinct smell in the air.

"Do you... smell something?" Kira asked.

" _I can..._ " Aster said, sniffing.

" _...Me too..._ " Sugarcube said. " _...smells kind of... sweet..._ "

Kai shrugged. "Probably some coolant chemical. They definitely wouldn't use anything toxic in a room that's meant to... be... occupied..."

He began to slow his speech as he started feeling extremely drowsy and weak. He noticed that the other three were in the same condition as well.

"Ah... jeez..." Kira said, rubbing her eyes. "...what's hit me...?"

" _...I feel... s-so..._ " Aster said, yawning. " _...tired... my body... is... h-heavy..._ "

" _...Ooooh... what's... happening...?_ " Sugarcube asked, slowly lowering herself.

The four of them could not remain standing any longer... and they all collapsed, nearly unconscious. Before Kira was out... she could make out the shape of two tall figures wearing gas masks, slowly stalking towards them...

One of them knelt next to her, lifting her head as she stared drowsily at him.

"Shh... sleep now, my little sheep..." he said mockingly, his voice frighteningly familiar. "...rest your head... it's time for bed..."

With that, he closed Kira's eyelids with his index finger and thumb... and this was enough to force Kira into sleep...

 **Well, things sure are going from bad to worse all the time, aren't they? Let's hope the heroes can get out of this mess, right? Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll be back real soon... after my fucking midterm exams... -_-. Keep holding on...**


	18. Ch 17 - What's Going On?

**Well, I'm back once more! Sorry again about the wait times; I've been preoccupied with soaking in the hot tub after work, and midterm exams for school. Also, I've been trying to sign up on AO3 to post my current stories on their site and reach an even bigger audience, but lo and behold, a bunch of _stupid, fucking spammers_ have to ruin everyone's experience! Oh well... I can wait. In the meantime, I present you all with a new chapter!**

Kira awoke to find that she could not see. Shifting her head around, she realized she had some sort of eyemask on her face. She scrunched her face to move it onto her forehead, and after doing so, noticed that she was in some sort of metallic-looking room. She noticed that she had some sort of breathing apparatus on her face, and that she was being held to a gel-padded table, that molded to her body, by some sort of synthetic cover. There appeared to be a silenced vital signs monitor right next to her.

It took a bit of effort, given that Kira was still a bit drowsy after having just woke up, but she got her arms from the strange cover. As she pulled the breathing apparatus off her face, she felt it pull a tube going down her throat, causing her to gag a bit. She pulled at it until it came out at about eighteen inches. She assumed it went down into her stomach as a means of giving her nutrients.

"...Agh..." she uttered, feeling a bit lightheaded. "...wh... where am I...?"

It was only a few moments before Kira noticed that she was naked. She had absolutely no article of clothing; it was just her and nothing more sandwiched between the cover and gel padding. With a bit of work, she pulled herself out of the table and synthetic cover and onto her feet on the floor, and removed the wireless vitals sensors from her wrists, ankles, and upper stomach.

Covering her breasts with one hand, and her crotch with the other, Kira decided to check the cabinets in the room for anything that she might be able to use. After a bit of search of the bins of medical instruments, she eventually found a plush blanket made for a Queen-size bed. She wrapped herself in it to use as a makeshift cover, and then she tried to remember what was happening before she ended up here. It was not easy, since her memory was a bit hazy...

"What was I doing before I blacked out...?" she pondered, just before standing bolt upright. "...Oh! Kai! Aster! We were trying to access the SUBCON supercomputer!"

With only the blanket to cover herself, Kira left the room to find herself in a massive hallway, with fairly dim, fluorescent lighting. She set off down the hallway, slowly since she was still disoriented. The place, wherever or whatever it was, seemed to be abandoned.

"Hello? Anyone?" Kira called out.

Curious, she decided to check around the rooms to see if she could find a way out of the building that she was in. It definitely did not look like the supercomputer laboratory they were in seemingly a few hours ago (from her perspective). Most of them were locked... but she eventually found one room that was unlocked, so she immediately went inside, but noticed it was dark.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, Kira happened to make out some sort of dim, cyan lights filling the room, about a meter off of the floor. She saw several transparent capsules, possibly hundreds of them. Each one held a person laying under the same type of synthetic covers that Kira had found herself under, along with an eyemask and breathing apparatus with the feeding tube. They all appeared to also have earplugs. It seemed like they were being kept in some sort of hibernation.

"Wh-what is this...?" Kira asked. "...What's going on here...?"

She assumed that someone was performing some sort of illegal experiment or something, but she was not entirely sure.

"Kira?" came a voice from the hallway.

Kira looked back to see where it was coming from, and to her relief, she saw...

"Kai!" she said.

Kai was in very much the same condition as her; he was wearing nothing but a blanket, and was presumably nude under the only visible cover.

"Thank God we're okay!" Kira said. "Do you know where we are?"

"I was about to ask you that." Kai answered.

"Have you seen Aster anywhere?" Kira asked.

Kai shook his head. "No, haven't seen him. Sugarcube, either..."

"Well... we need to find them, and fast!" Kira said. "What if Dr. Meyers kidnapped them again?"

Kai thought for a moment. "...I'm not sure how he would go about containing them, seeing as to how he's a wanted fugitive. But..."

He looked at the blanket he was wearing.

"...we need to find some real clothes, and get out of this weird place before anything else." he finished.

Kira nodded. "You're right. Wearing nothing but a blanket feels... awkward."

With that, the two set off down the hallway, moving as quickly as they could. Sooner than later, however, they happened to come across another person. It appeared to be a custodian mopping the floor of the hallway, a bucket of cleaning solution near him. This put the two of them on the spot at first... but Kai decided to make an approach. If he would try to run, they could probably both subdue him.

"Hey..." Kai spoke up.

The janitor looked over at him.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Kai..." Kai introduced himself.

"And you are...?" the janitor said to Kira.

"...Kira." she answered.

"And I am...?" the janitor asked.

Kira and Kai looked at each other... and then they looked at the janitor's name tag, which read "Josh".

"You're Josh..." Kai said.

"Oh..." Josh said. "...and you are...?"

Kai rasped and shook his head.

"Listen, we're in a bit of a problem here." he said. "Did you see two men pass through here earlier?"

"Why? Did they have balloons?" Josh asked.

"Uh... what's that gotta do with anything?" Kira asked.

She pulled Kai off to the side for a moment.

"Is this guy for real right now?" Kira asked.

"I don't know..." Kai said. "...but I don't like it. If Dr. Meyers has done something to him... this could spell trouble for the rest of the people he could potentially kidnap. He could be brainwashed for all we know."

Kira shrugged. "That... or the dude's just a complete, frickin' retard. Or both."

"You must be from Rome!" Josh said. "I like your togas!"

Kira and Kai looked at their current "garments".

"Uh... these aren't togas." Kai said. "They're just blankets... and we're not from Rome. We're university students, and interns for the Weyland-Yutani Corporation."

"Ah! That's my favorite drink!" Josh said.

Kai looked back at Kira.

"...We need to get out of here. I don't think this guy can help us." Kai said.

"Well... what are we gonna do once we get out to find Aster and Sugarcube?" Kira asked.

"I don't know..." Kai said. "...but we'll figure something out. Besides, I'm sure they would do anything to try and escape from him, especially since he can't possibly have a Queen that can control their minds."

They looked back at Josh, who had returned to cleaning.

"If you'll pardon us, Josh..." Kira said. "...we'll just be going."

The janitor looked up at them, looking a little confused.

"Hey!" Josh said. "Who are you kids? And what are you doing in my chocolate factory?"

Kira looked back at Kai.

"...He's _absolutely crazy_." she said.

"We're wasting our time with him..." Kai said. "...we gotta find Aster and Sugarcube!"

So, the two continued through the maze of hallways, checking some rooms along the way. Eventually, they came across a locker room, where they found a dispenser machine that appeared to give some sort of issued clothing, according to the signs on them.

They immediately went over to the machines, and enabled the touchscreen interfaces.

"Okay, let's see... I know I'm 32-36..." Kai mumbled as he enabled the machine to dispense a pair of pants.

"I think I'm a size 'small'..." Kira said to no one in particular when selecting a top size.

Both sets of clothing looked identical. Fortunately, they also had access to undergarments, socks, and boots as well. Granted, the apparel looked very synthetic, almost like some sort of slim-fit Kevlar armor.

"Granted, this might be stealing, and it might not be what people wear in public..." Kai said, lacing up his boots. "...but it's better than nothing."

"Definitely." Kira said.

After suiting up, they left the room, and after one more stretch of corridor, they came to the front lobby of the same building that they had been in earlier. The same one with the supercomputer they found.

"So... we were just on the upper levels of the same building." Kai said. "I wonder if we can access the security footage to see what Meyers..."

"But... didn't SORIA jam the cameras?" Kira asked.

Kai clenched his fists. "Damn... you're right."

"Well, let's just hope Aster and Sugarcube are still around here somewhere!" Kira said.

"Right." Kai nodded.

He began to check around the surrounding region. He bent low to examine the floor, and rubbed his hand across the walls. Kira was a bit confused.

"Kai... what are you doing? Aren't we gonna look for them?" she asked.

"That's what I _am_ doing." Kai responded. "Never hurts to look for clues."

He continued to look back in the direction of where the stairwell to the computer mainframe was, and sure enough...

"AH!" Kai said. "Here's something!"

He knelt down to examine some lines of depression in the floor, stroking his finger through it.

"What is it?" Kira asked.

"...Corrosion." Kai answered. "I imagine Aster or Sugarcube must've regained consciousness, and cut themselves to leave a trail of blood."

He looked off in the direction it was heading.

"...Hopefully, it doesn't lead out of the building." Kai finished.

"But... why would he leave them here?" Kira asked. "Wouldn't the staff of this place find them?"

Kai sighed. "I wish I knew what was going on here, but right now... we just need to find our mates, get our asses out of here, and tell SORIA and Sam what we found. Hopefully, we can get WY to secure this place without disclosing any confidential information we know." he said.

Kira nodded. "But I imagine it'll be tricky..."

"Yeah..." Kai remarked. "...anyways, let's quit wasting time! We gotta move!"

With that, they set off down the hallway, keeping an eye on the corroded trail in the tiles of the floor...

 **Well, something is definitely not right here. What could be going on? Anyways, I hope the chapters are providing enough suspense and mystery to keep you all hooked! I'll get back to you all real soon! Keep holding on...**


	19. Ch 18 - Weird Stuff, That's What!

**Okay, since I was in the mood, I would write a new chapter sooner than usual. I hope that the fic isn't too boring at this point, as I haven't been getting a lot of feedback. So, let us continue with our ever-loved _Alien_ headcanon!**

Kira and Kai eventually managed to find a room on an upper floor, where the trail corroded into the floor led. Strangely, there were not any staff members, from what they could tell. This was a good thing, however, since they would not be caught and get into trouble.

"I hope that Aster and Sugarcube are here." Kira said.

"Me too." Kai added.

They found that the door was unlocked, so they opened it to find the two Drones laying on the floor. Both of them appeared to be unconscious, but they were still breathing. Both of the humans knelt next to their respective Xeno mate.

"Aster!" Kira said, nudging him. "Aster, wake up!"

Slowly, Aster began to stir.

" _...Ah... Kira..._ " Aster said, yawning. " _...you're alright!_ "

" _Kai! Oh, thank goodness!_ " Sugarcube said.

"We thought you were gonna be taken!" Kira said.

"...And we think Meyers could be behind it." Kai said.

" _So then..._ " Aster began. " _...why would they leave us alone? You would think they could've easily taken us all captive... granted that Sugarcube and me would've put up_ quite _a fight!_ "

"I don't know..." Kai answered. "...to he honest, I have no clue what's going on. I woke up in some sort of medical unit with a breathing apparatus on my face, an eyemask, and a feed tube going down my throat. I was naked and held to some sort of gel-padded operating table..."

"Just like me!" Kira commented. "I was literally in the situation you described when I woke up!"

"Really... that's weird." Kai said.

"So, we both took some blankets to wrap ourselves in, found each other, and saw no other staff in the building... even though it's daytime." Kira said.

"But we _did_ find a janitor... who appeared to have some sort of extreme form of short attention span..." Kai said.

" _Well, no matter what, the sooner we get out of here, the better!_ " Aster said.

The two humans nodded.

"Yeah, let's go and tell Sam and SORIA what we found! Then we can expose it to the government, and put Meyers' cruel experiment into the ground for good!" Kira said.

The group of four set off, back out the way they came, taking it slow and stealthy to avoid any potential detection by staff or security they do not notice. But they did manage to make it outside, and it was already morning.

"Hope the kids weren't too much for Sam and SORIA." Kai said.

"I'm sure she can manage." Kira commented. "She can handle herself better with Xenos than... Hailey..."

Kira looked at the sky as she trailed off.

"...I still can't believe she's gone." she finished.

"I know..." Kai said. "...but we will avenge her! We'll make Dr. Meyers pay the ultimate price! And I will personally spit and piss on his grave once he's dead!"

Kira laughed, her spirits lifted by that remark... but it only lasted for a moment, because something strange happened.

She had been absently staring at the sky, and happened to notice a cloud glitch into a static-y mess for a fraction of a second. There was even the sound of static as it happened.

"What the...?" Kira asked.

"What is it?" Kai asked.

Kira pointed at the cloud she was looking at.

"Call me crazy, but... I think that cloud was glitching." she said.

"Glitching?" Kai asked, narrowing his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Like, it became all static for a split second. Did you hear that faint static buzz just now?" Kira said.

"Yeah, I did, but..." Kai trailed off, looking at the cloud again. "...I don't think that can happen to clouds. I think Meyers must've given us a drug or something that's causing hallucinations."

"But it happened to make us _both_ hear the static at the same time?" Kira asked.

" _Uh, while I do agree with Kira about this being a bit weird..._ " Sugarcube spoke. " _...shouldn't we be getting our tails out of here?_ "

"Yeah, let's go." Kira said. "It's probably nothing..."

Eventually, they all made it to Kai's car, but the owner of the vehicle happened to remember something by instinct when he got to the door, and tried to put his hand into his nonexistent pocket.

"My keys! They were in my jeans!" Kai said. "Ngh... and Dr. Meyers must've taken them..."

"Wait, look..." Kira said, opening the door. "...the car's unlocked... and your keys are in the ignition!"

"Huh...?" Kai asked.

He opened the driver-side door, and peered in at the keys, which were sitting right there in the ignition, just as Kira had said.

"That is so weird... why would they put the keys back?" Kai asked.

Kira shrugged. "Who knows? Who cares? Let's just accept it for what it is and go!"

So, they all got into the car, and strapped their seatbelts in. Kai was about to turn the key... but he stopped.

"Wait..." he said. "...what if it's a trap?"

"How so?" Kira asked.

"...What if the car's rigged, and if I try to start it, we all blow up?" Kai said.

Kira pursed her lips. "I don't think Dr. Meyers could get his hands on the equipment to do that, given how recently he busted out of prison. Let's just give it a try."

" _Yeah, c'mon! I wanna get home! I'm HUNGRY!_ " Aster said.

" _Yeah, a bite to eat would be nice. It's been hours since we last ate._ " Sugarcube said.

"Well... okay..." Kai said.

He ignited the car and, to his relief, nothing happened. So, the foursome simply drove back to Kira's house so that they could check in on the rest of the family, the roommate, and the robot.

(XXXX)

They made it back to Kira's house in a reasonable amount of time, and they knocked on the door. After waiting for a bit, Sam came and opened the door.

"Oh, hello Kira." Sam said, just before absently walking away, leaving the door open.

"Huh?" Kira asked, confused. "That's it? You're not gonna ask how we're doing?"

"Why is that?" Sam asked, looking back at them.

"We just came back from the WY building? Remember? We found the supercomputer that Dr. Meyers was involved with building?" Kai asked.

Sam looked at the floor for a moment, just before returning her gaze to them with a smile.

"Ah, yes. I remember." Sam said. "It's good that you are back safely."

"So... how are Star and Chase?" Kai asked.

"Star and Chase?" Sam asked. "Is that the name of a music group I have yet to hear about?"

Kira facepalmed. "Sam, this is not a good time for jokes! We need to know where they are!"

"Well, I'm sure if you use Google, you will find when 'Star and Chase's' next showtime is—" Sam spoke, just before getting cut off.

"STAR! My daughter!" Kira said. "She's a Xeno, like Sugarcube here, but younger!"

"And Chase is like Aster, but younger too!" Kai said.

"Oh, well..." Sam said. "...I have never seen them, so I cannot say."

Kira sighed.

"SORIA!" she called out.

After a moment, the personal assistant computer module came rolling into the room.

" _Welcome back, Kira Sykes._ " SORIA said. " _I await any instruction you wish to give me._ "

"SORIA, where are Star and Chase?" Kira asked.

" _I'm afraid I have no information in any of my hard drives about the two you are questioning me of._ " SORIA said. " _My databases show no matches of those two terms in relation to each other._ "

"Oh no... not you too!" Kira said.

She pulled Kai outside, and beckoned Aster and Sugarcube to follow.

" _Kira... what's going on? Why don't they remember?_ " Aster asked.

" _Did... did our children run off!? W-were they captured, and did Sam and SORIA have their memories erased somehow?_ " Sugarcube asked, extremely worried.

"I don't think so." Kira said. "SORIA would have been able to alert Sam of any intruders, and as you know, you Xenos are pretty good at hiding."

"But still... what's the deal with Sam and SORIA?" Kai asked.

"Let's see, Sam doesn't recall what happened last night... Star and Chase apparently are not here... the cloud from earlier was glitchy... the janitor was out of his mind... we weren't taken captive by Dr. Meyers..." Kira trailed off. "...Kai, I think there's something _seriously wrong_ here."

"Ya _think_?" Kai asked. "If I didn't know better, I would think that Sam was trying to do an impression or something..."

"But that's not it, Kai... the way she's talking... that's not how Sam talks." Kira said. "And SORIA doesn't use my last name when she addresses me..."

The four were completely stumped by everything at this point.

 _What is going on around here...?_ they all thought, taking in their surroundings.

(XXXX)

"So... did it work?" Baldwin asked. "This is the system?"

"Oh yes, comrade..." Meyers said. "...we are here."

Baldwin glanced around, and did a bit of motion-range tests on his fingers.

"Nice! So, what'll we do now, since the kids and their oversized bugs are here?" Baldwin asked.

Meyers smiled in a sinister way.

"...Once we can get rid of them... we shall _take_ them as our own..." he said.

Baldwin's eyes widened. "You mean, we're gonna...?"

"...Oh, yes..." Meyers said, laughing maniacally afterwards.

 **Well, things aren't getting any better for the four! What could Meyers have planned that could make everything else in the world go crazy? Where are Star and Chase? Is this story getting interesting enough? If not, let me know what I can do to improve it! See you all soon! Keep holding on...**


	20. Ch 19 - Familiar Nemeses

**Well, as per usual, time for the weekly update!**

On the following day, Kira, not able to figure out what exactly was happening, decided to head over the university and continue with her routine as normal. All the while doing so, she was still going to investigate the matter of strange events that began the day before.

However... there was even _more_ unusual behavior from people. Everyone she past who was having a conversation was saying something nonsensical or random:

"I need to go to the clown motel!"

"I like the part when the purple space worm entered the mountain of scallops."

"Goldfish are often a source of curiosity."

Kira could not help but look at nearly everyone weird, as though she were the only genius in the entire world at this point.

 _What the hell are these people even talking about?_ She thought. _I hope Kai can learn something about what this is all about. I wonder if Dr. Meyers had anything to do with it..._

She decided to head for the administration building of the university, and see if she could get any information from the school officials.

"Um... excuse me." Kira said as she approached the front desk. "Do you know what's going on around here?"

The lady at the front desk looked up from her computer screen, and a big, random grin appeared on her face as she stood from her chair.

"Congratulations! A winner is you!" she said to Kira.

"What?" Kira asked. "But... what did I win? I didn't even sign up for anything!"

"Hey!" the lady said, suddenly scornful. "That gives you no right!"

On the spot, Kira started darting her eyes around.

"No right for what...?" she asked.

"No, no, no... _everyone_ has rights. Two wrongs don't make a right; three _rights_ make a _left_." she said, suddenly changing to a casual tone.

"Okay..." Kira said, uncomfortable. "...I'm just gonna go. Sorry to bother you."

"To go places, open your eyes." the lady said.

Kira quickly left the building, rushing to a deserted spot, and sitting on a bench.

"My God... has Dr. Meyers launched some sort of brain-eating virus on the city or something? Nothing is making any—AAH!"

Kira suddenly fell, her buttocks hitting the ground. Despite being a bit dazed from the shock... she saw that the bench was getting static-y and glitchy, making a static noise. It suddenly became random, floating lines of what looked like binary codes... and then, one by one, the numbers vanished until the bench did the same completely.

Once again, Kira was loaded with questions she wanted answers to.

"Wh-what just happened... the bench... turned to code... disappeared..." she uttered.

Slowly... she was starting to realize what might be going on...

"I've gotta find Kai!" she said.

With that, she took off across the campus... but little did she know, she was being followed. Close behind her... was a clone of herself. The com-synth clone stood for a moment, observing the real Kira as she moved at a jogging pace across the grass field on the campus grounds. The WY logo flashed on her forehead as she narrowed her eyes, just before breaking into a jog herself, following behind the one she was impersonating...

(XXXX)

Aster, offset by the events that unfolded earlier, decided to head out and try to find Kira, all the while trying to be stealthy to avoid any unwanted detection. Just before he was about to leave, however, Kira's car came up into the driveway. When she parked, she emerged from the vehicle, still very panicked.

" _What's the matter, Kira? Did you want me to stay inside?_ " Aster asked.

"No... it's just..." Kira said, trailing off.

" _...Just what?_ " Aster said.

Kira told him about the nonsensical things people were saying, and how the bench she sat on vanished into floating, holographic code.

" _I admit, things are getting a bit sketchy... but why are WE the only ones who are remotely normal?_ " Aster questioned.

"I don't know... I don't know..." Kira said.

Suddenly, Aster stood more upright.

" _Wait... I can sense... strange brainwaves._ " he said.

"Yeah..." Kira said, shifting her eyes around. "...I can, too... they're coming from... right behind me..."

After a few seconds of waiting, the two made out a figure emerging from behind the foliage surrounding Kira's property, and what it was was something neither of them would have expected to see...

...It was a Xenomorph. A drone. Clearly, it was a genetically-unaltered one, as indicated by its lack of sexual organs or mammalian anatomy. As it approached, it began to hiss ferociously.

" _Uh... Kira..._ " Aster said, scared stiff. " _...I think it's you he wants..._ "

Kira began to back away... just before she broke into a sprint for her front door. This triggered the Xenomorph's prey instinct, and it began to chase her down. Aster, however, was quick to react, and tackled the unknown Xeno. The two wrestled it out, just before Aster managed to get the upper hand, and pin it to the ground with its tail against its neck and its head sideways.

The natural Xenomorph Drone, although restrained, showed no sign of yielding. It furiously struggled against Aster's hold, snapping its jaws continuously at Aster.

" _Ɋƚţ˦ ΠηխՃ ԪӧӟԓԆ!_ " the Xeno telepathically shouted at him.

Aster tilted his head in confusion.

" _Sorry, mister. But if you want to talk to me, you gotta do so in_ English _._ " he said.

Even though Aster referred to it as "him," it was given that, being a natural Xenomorph, it was genderless.

In an impulse, it sprayed a cyst of blood out of its mouth at Aster, which merely caused the latter to tip his head upward and wiped himself off as if he were just soaked with water.

" _What an idiot you are. That's not gonna work on me!_ " he said.

The Xeno continued shouted what sounded like gibberish protest, potentially the Xenomorph native language, but of course, Aster did not know a word of it.

" _I-don't-speak-the-lan-guage!_ " Aster said, emphasizing each syllable.

Kira, cautiously, stepped forward, picking up a board sitting against her porch deck. She made her way over to the struggling Xenomorph... and struck it over the head repeatedly. It shrieked and hissed angrily... up to the point of being knocked out from excessive head trauma. Aster then let go, and stood up. They both examined the alien specimen on the ground.

"...Uh...A-Aster..." Kira began. "...wh-where... did this... Xeno... c-c-come from...?"

Aster shook his head. " _I haven't the slightest idea... maybe he escaped from some secret lab around here or something..._ "

"Another lab _here_ , too?" Kira said.

" _Well... given this guy's temper... I'd say he_ deserved _to stay locked up! Unlike the other Xenos like me and Sugarcube..._ " Aster said.

Kai's car suddenly pulled off to the curb. He quickly got out, Sugarcube following behind him, as they made their way over to the Sykes. When they saw the unconscious Xeno, they all stopped.

"Woah... what's THIS?" Kai asked.

" _Did you rescue another of our kind?_ " Sugarcube asked.

"No..." Kira said. "...it saw me... and rushed to attack me..."

" _But I stopped him! And I just gotta say... he's got_ quite _a temper..._ " Aster remarked.

Kai knelt down to examine the alien. "This isn't one that's genetically-engineered, or kept in captivity... there's no tracking device implanted in the desired locations..."

"So... what does that mean?" Kira asked.

Kai looked up at her.

"...It means this is a recently-caught wild Xeno." he said.

"So... what is it doing here?" Kira asked.

Kai shrugged. "Who knows? And what's even weirder is the fact that natural Xenos can't adapt well or survive very long without the aid of a Queen..."

"AAAH! Kai, look!" Kira said, pointing to the trees just on the edge of her property.

Emerging from behind the trees was a much taller figure... which turned out to be a Xenomorph Queen. Accompanying it were a Drone and two Warriors. Kai stared in utter surprise at what they were seeing.

"Shit..." Kai said. "...did I just jinx it by mentioning a Queen?"

None of them were able to answer, because the Queen let out a hiss, and the three lesser Xenos rushed at the group. The two Warriors went after Aster and Sugarcube, who began to use their instinctual CQC to fend off the asexual aliens, occasionally circling each other in a standoff. Kai took on the Drone, mainly with his knowledge of various martial arts, such as Karate, Taekwondo, Aikido, and even Pencak Silat.

Kira was the only one whom the Queen turned her attention to. In desperation, she attempted to run away... but the Queen quickly knocked her off her feet with a swift swing of her tail. Kira was stunned from hitting the ground, and hastily tried to stand back up... but the Queen picked her up in her hands. Then, she turned Kira around to face her, holding her up at "eye"-level. The Queen hissed at her.

"...N-no... please..." Kira begged, struggling against the Queen's grip. "...j-j-just let me go... I won't hurt you... please..."

The Queen held its tail straight at Kira's forehead. The latter was thoroughly frightened, afraid, in that moment, that it was going to thrust through her head and kill her. However... she quickly felt less afraid, and bizarrely, more relaxed. She half-closed her eyes, and her pupils dilated; she could feel herself succumbing to some sort of trance.

The Queen was telepathically force-feeding neural signals into Kira's brain through a special node in her spinal cord, contained in her tail...

After a few moments, Kai was able to land various blows on pressure points that he learned about in Xenomorph biology, which rendered the Drone paralyzed, while Aster and Sugarcube managed to outwit the two Warriors due to their more-human creativity and unpredictability, which enabled them to land killing blows with their tails. It was only after they all turned to the Queen that they saw Kira being held in its hands, the end of its tail being held at her forehead, and Kira looking entranced.

"Kira!" Kai called up. "Kira, is the Queen hurting you?"

Kira did not answer. It seemed like she was deaf or something.

" _I'll make short work of this!_ " Aster said. " _It's takes a KING to put down a Queen!_ "

Aster rushed over to the Queen's posterior... and jabbed his tail into the base of her own, creating a large blood spurt. The Queen hollered as she released Kira onto the grass. Just when Kai, Sugarcube, and Aster all prepared to take the Queen on... it just retreated back the way it came from. She continued to run until she was completely out of sight.

" _Damn it! We should've won!_ " Aster said, frustrated.

"But... how is a Queen able to get _this much_ free reign without drawing attention...? Granted that everyone has gotten very weird..." Kai said.

" _Nevermind that!_ " Sugarcube said, just before turning to Kira. " _Kira! Are you okay?_ "

Kira was standing with her back facing the three, she was slowly swaying a bit as if she were drunk. She was also pressing one hand to her forehead. Kai stepped forward.

"Kira... you alright?" he asked.

Kira turned around... only to reveal that her eyes had turned a demonic yellow, her pupils were hyperconstricted, and she looked angered beyond all thought.

"Woah..." Kai said, stepping back. "...what the... Kira! What's the matter with you?"

Kira looked as if she had been possessed. In fact, she _was_... in a manner of speaking. She looked at her feet to see the plank she dropped. She picked it up, and slowly began to stalk towards Kai.

"...Serve... the Queen..." she said. "...Serve..."

 **Things just keep getting both weirder and worse, don't they? Well, I hope you all have caught onto what's been going on at this point! And I plan to have some more surprises happen while it's still an element of the story! So, hope you all are doing well, and I'll see you in a little while! Keep holding on...**


	21. Ch 20 - Nightmarish Role Reversal

**Well, time for yet another thing to get ugly in this story! And from how things are looking, it probably won't get much better anytime soon! So, let us continue, shall we?**

Kira, under the Queen's influence, slowly made her way towards Kai, the 2x4 in her hands, ready to be swung. The latter staggered backwards in shock and confusion.

"What the hell are you _doing_ , Kira!?" Kai said.

Kira continued to glare at him with her yellow, unholy eyes. "...I must... serve my Queen..." she repeated.

Hesitantly, Kai raised his fists and assumed a fighting stance.

"Okay, Kira... I'm afraid you've left me no other choice..." he said.

Without the slightest sign of holding back, Kira swung the wooden beam at Kai, which he was able to dodge. She brought it back to try again, but Kai managed to pin his foot over it to keep her from picking it back up. As she struggled to do so, Kira looked back up at him... and punched him in the stomach, hard. He staggered backwards bent over with his hands on his front.

" _Kai!_ " Sugarcube shouted, rushing over to Kira and tackling her.

As Kai managed to look up, he saw his mate struggling with his female friend in what looked like very crude wrestling. He hastily rushed behind the garage portion of Kira's house to avoid becoming another target for her blows. Aster followed after him.

" _Kai... do you have any idea why Kira's gone off the rail all of a sudden?_ " Aster asked.

Kai definitely had the answer, having carefully assessed the situation prior to Kira's assault on him. However, he assumed Aster would not like to hear it, especially since it concerned a similar event that happened at an earlier point in time...

"The Queen's taken over her mind!" Kai said.

Aster sat upright in shock upon hearing this.

" _What? You mean... just like with me a few years ago?_ " he asked.

Kai nodded. "I'm afraid so..." he said.

" _No..._ " Aster said, hanging his head down and letting out a depressed hiss. " _...not Kira! Why!? Why did she have to suffer the same fate as me!?_ "

Years ago, shortly after first meeting Kira, Aster was captured by Dr. Meyers, and, to ensure he would cooperate with him, allowed a Queen to take control of the male Xeno. This forcibly made him a servant to the Queen, and by extension, Dr. Meyers himself... and he was unable to disobey.

" _We need to help her! She has to be freed from that..._ evil _hold... over her mind..._ " Aster said.

"Well... I couldn't begin to tell you how we could do it." Kai said. "I still don't know how Xenomorph telepathy works, entirely."

" _That's not my point! Do you even know what it's_ like _to have control of your mind and body taken away from you?_ " Aster asked.

"No... because it's never happened to me... at least, not in a way _this_ extreme..." Kai said.

" _Well, it's HORRIBLE!_ " Aster said. " _It's SCARY! Even though Meyers' Queen was directly controlling my brain that one time... I still recall everything that happened very clearly. The worst part... I actually felt like I WANTED to kill Kira! Not only that, but... my memories of her... of our times of happiness and bliss... they were slowly fading away from me over the days! That's the scary part! I don't WANT to ever feel like I want to kill the girl I truly love... a-and... I don't want to forget... how_ much _I l-love her..._ "

Kai sighed in regret, looking at the ground.

" _...and for her to experience that for herself... oh, Kira..._ " Aster said.

Concerned that her memories of him, and her overall human nature, could be in danger of being lost forever, Aster made a critical decision to help bring Kira back to the light.

" _...I know how to get her back._ " Aster said, walking over to Sugarcube, who still had Kira restrained.

Kai raised a brow and tilted his head. "What are you gonna do?" he asked.

" _The same thing she did to save me and my memories from the Queen's hold, years ago._ " Aster said. " _I'll make her remember that, deep down, she loves me._ "

Determined to get his mate back, Aster walked back over to where Sugarcube was restraining her. She looked up at him with her devilish eyes, fighting furiously against Sugarcube's hold.

" _Just try to talk her down or something..._ " The female Xeno said. " _...she's putting up QUITE a fight..._ "

Aster knelt down in front of Kira, who continued to struggle against Sugarcube in a rageful frenzy.

" _Kira..._ " Aster began. " _...it's me, Aster... just listen to my voice... calm yourself... focus on just me..._ "

She was not listening, continuing to try and break free of her restraint to attack him.

"...Must serve... will serve..." Kira said in a monotone.

Aster gently brushed her hair behind her ear, despite her physical protest.

" _...I love you, Kira..._ " Aster said. " _...you rescued me... you gave me a new, happy life... we mated... and you carried our daughter. Please... please remember, Kira..._ "

For a moment, Kira stopped, staring at her Xeno mate. Despite her eyes still having the evil yellow color about them... her pupils widened slightly. They were still fairly constricted, but visibly opened up the window to her very soul.

But it only lasted for a brief moment, as her pupils became scarily tiny again and she resumed her feeble attempts to break free from Sugarcube's arms and legs binding her. Aster made an audible moan as he hung his head down, tears streaming out from under his cranial carapace.

" _Kira, please... y-you're hurting me... you're r-r-ripping yourself away from m-me..._ " he said, sniffling.

It was not working. His words... his pledge of love to her... they were ineffective against the level of influence the Queen had placed into Kira's brain. Aster, thoroughly heartbroken, fell to his knees, putting his face into the grass and grabbing his head.

Kira continued to struggle against her holder. She was, at this point, showing nothing less than pure, utter _hate_. She clearly wanted to _kill_ Aster, despite not having the physical capacity to do so... but just the _desire_ to do so made Aster all the more hurt.

 _Th-this can't b-b-be..._ Aster thought. _...I-I... I've lost her...! I've lost m-my... mate...!_

He completely surrendered himself to the idea that her memories... her personality... all of it was in the process of being permanently destroyed, leaving only the hollow shell of his mate, inhabited by pure, primal rage. However...

" _Wait..._ " Aster said, picking his head up. " _...I'm different than other Xenos... maybe my... ability... can help her..._ "

" _N-ngh...!_ " Sugarcube strained, trying to hold Kira in place. " _...What are you... g-gonna do...?_ "

" _...Bring Kira back into her body._ " Aster answered.

After speaking, he began to use telepathy on Kira in an attempt to make his presence more familiar for her, and to try and invoke her memories of him. While he was in the middle of focusing, while locked in a heavy trance... a green light flashed inside of his chest with an audible pulsation. It faded after a second. Both Kai and Sugarcube stared in surprised.

"Wow..." Kai said.

" _He's using... his special gene... again...!_ " Sugarcube commented.

Aster had a very unique gene in his DNA that made him different from any other Xenomorph in existence. It was the Royal Gene, and it allowed him to tap deep into his psychic and physical abilities, which would allow him to accomplish tasks that a regular Drone would otherwise be incapable of, even if they were genetically engineered like Aster. It was powered from positive emotions... and the purest form of it, which Aster was invoking right now... love.

" _...Let go of her, Sugarcube._ " Aster said.

" _Well, okay..._ " Sugarcube said, hesitantly standing both herself and Kira up, and releasing her.

Kira stood motionless for a moment, under heavy hypnosis from Aster. While it did not seem like much was happening... the memories from her heart were overpowering the implanted memories in her brain. She began to have flashbacks of all the happy times she had with Aster, as well as all of the life-threatening situations they had involving Dr. Meyers, and especially... bringing him back from the Queen's control by reminding him of his love for her.

Eventually, Kira's eyes faded from yellow to green, and then back to their regular blue color. She stared at Aster for another few seconds, before she opened up her eyes wider, as if in realization.

"Ahhh..." Kira breathed as her eyes rolled upward...

...And then she collapsed. Sugarcube was quick to catch Kira, but Kira herself was unconscious. Aster knelt down to examine her. He placed his hand on her forehead, shifting it around slightly.

" _...As much as I hate seeing her faint... I think that did it. I think she's back to her regular self._ " Aster said.

"Is she alright?" Kai asked.

" _She's still alive; I can sense her heartbeat and brainwaves._ " Aster said.

"But... she won't... die... like how you almost did, right Aster...?" Kai asked.

" _She WILL be okay._ " Aster said. " _I've purified her mind; anything the Queen did to her brain, I have undone._ "

" _I'm sure all she needs now is a good rest._ " Sugarcube said.

So, Aster picked up Kira in his arms, and carried her up to her bedroom, where he pulled back the sheets on her bed, removed her clothing (by slicing it with his claws), leaving only her undergarments, laid her in the bed and resting her head on the pillow, and pulled the sheets back over her. From there, he carefully put a pair of wireless, noise-canceling earbuds, sitting on her nightstand, into her ears, followed by closing her blackout curtains. He then left the room so that she could sleep in near-total sensory deprivation, which would allow her overwhelmed brain to recover from telepathic possession followed by cleansing shortly after.

 **Yeah, kind of a shorter chapter. What can I say? I'm getting kinda lazy, having to put my writing effort into school projects and whatnot. XD Anyways, I hope you all are liking the twists so far, and I'll keep up the pace as best as I can with this fic! Wish me luck! Keep holding on...**


	22. Ch 21 - Backlash

**Okay, now that I've wrapped up my finals in school, I can allocate more time to working on the next few chapters... up until school starts once more. So, after a long wait, here we are once again! Also, I was recently contacted by a Wattpad user by the username of "NathanIgoJr", whose stories I have checked out, some are pretty good, and some are pretty funny! I really think works like this deserve more attention, so... SHOUTOUT TO NATHANIGOJR!**

After several hours, Kira slowly began to awaken. Her eyesight was a bit disoriented, but she managed to get a glimpse of what little light there was with the blackout curtains blocking most of it. From the look of it, it had to be the late afternoon. She sat up, letting out an sigh of exertion; she felt a strong sensation of vertigo, and the muscles all over her body were aching.

"...Ohh... what happened...?" she said out loud, rubbing her head.

At that moment, the door opened, and Aster stepped inside. A smile spread over his face upon seeing his mate conscious again as he made his way over to her.

" _Kira!_ " he said, hugging her. " _You're up! Are you okay?_ "

"...Agh... I feel... _really_ lightheaded..." Kira responded.

At that moment... something entered her mind. She happened to recall something that happened with a Xenomorph Queen that somehow was out in the open, made its way to her house, and did something to her. After it happened, she recalled trying to _attack_ Kai and Aster, despite the latter's pleaing for her to remember.

"Aster..." Kira began. "...I-I had... a horrible nightmare...!"

" _What happened?_ " Aster asked.

"...I-I..." Kira stammered. "...I... tried to _hurt_ you, Aster...! I felt like... like I _wanted_ to kill you...!"

Aster knew well what she had done... but figured it was best to keep it a secret from her. He thought it would destroy her inside if she found out it really happened.

" _Well... your nightmare's over. And that's all that matters._ " Aster said.

Kira sighed. "Where's Kai? Is he okay?"

" _Yes._ " Aster responded. " _We were able to drive off the Queen and her servants._ "

"That's good, Kira said, standing. "Now, I just need to get into some clothes..."

After she got finished putting on a new set of clothing, she went downstairs, where she found Kai and Sugarcube had been waiting along with Sam and SORIA. Kai appeared to be trying to debate with the latter two quite intensely.

"But it's what I've been _telling you_!" Kai said. "We remember that Star and Chase were still around when we left! How do you not recognize Aster and Sugarcube, either!?"

" _It is common knowledge among humans that Xenomorphs are highly-dangerous predatory aliens that pose a major threat to all other indigenous life._ " SORIA said.

"Hey!" Kira said, rushing down the stairs. "SORIA, what has gotten into your circuits!? You know Aster and Star are not aggressive! Also, WHERE IS STAR!?"

" _As we have previously mentioned, we do not recall there ever being any living thing by the name of 'Star' in this residence. I have no data of it on any of my hard drives._ " SORIA said.

"Yeah, Kira..." Sam said. "...I think you might have a brain disease or something. Better hope your health insurance is still good, because I need to take you to a psychiatric specialist to have you evaluated."

"Well, answer me this:" Kira began. "if Aster and Sugarcube are dangerous, as you say Xenomorphs are, why are they not attacking us right at this very minute?"

"Because you said they were your mates." Sam said.

"Right!" Kira said, finally feeling satisfied. "So, do you really think that Xenos like them are really all that bad?"

Sam sighed impatiently. "It seems you never learn, Kira. Xenomorphs are highly-dangerous extraterrestrials that live solely for the purpose of killing anything for their survival."

Kira's face fell again. She was utterly shocked by the logic that her "friend" and "personal assistant" were both using right now.

"You are completely contradicting yourselves..." she said.

"Well, anyways..." Sam began. "...I'm gonna go head out and find a good therapist to help you with your mental recovery, Kira. Remember, as a friend, I care about your wellbeing."

Kira decided against saying anything in protest; it seemed like anything Sam heard simply went in one ear and out the other, totally bypassing her brain.

" _And I must now enter a standby mode whilst I am in the process of updating my drivers and firmware._ " SORIA said, powering down.

SORIA then promptly shut down, leaving Kira, Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube all on their own.

"Okay... this is getting ridiculous." Kira said. "There has to be _some_ reason why everything's so whack!"

"Well... I am starting to get a feeling of what's going on..." Kai said.

"Yeah? Like what?" Kira asked.

Before Kai even got a chance to answer, there was a loud bang that made them all jump. The front door to the house had been blasted open with the force equivalent to a sledgehammer. Stepping inside was, not Sam... but Kira. Rather, a clone of her with a very stoic expression on her face. The pair of humans and Xenos stared in shock.

"The com-synth...!" Kai uttered.

"Shit, not her again!" Kira exclaimed.

Immediately, the clone rushed at Kira, attempting to perform a karate kick at her, but the real Kira was quick to dodge it and give her own kick at the clone. Kai stepped in, grabbing the ash shovel from next to the fireplace and striking the clone over the head. She merely flinched and returned her gaze to Kai, rushing at him and pinning him to the floor.

Aster and Sugarcube were still overcome with shock at the sight of two Kiras... but one of them did not have any brainwaves, curiously. No heartbeat, either. It merely seemed like an empty shell of Kira to them.

Kira took action immediately and picked up a chair from the dining table, which she hit the clone on her back with. The chair broke and the clone collapsed briefly, allowing Kai to stand back up. However, the com-synth showed no sign of injury and slowly began to stand back up. Instead of rushing at either of the two, who assumed martial arts fighting stances, she merely began to pace with her hands behind her back. She looked at Kira very coldly.

"You are but an unconvincing imposter." the clone said. "For I am Kira Sykes."

Kira shook her head. "You are _not_ me! You are nothing _like_ me! You're just a vile, relentless _computer program_!" she said.

"I must do away with any who attempt to impersonate me, as there can only be one true Kira Sykes. This means me!" the clone said.

"Don't think you, made of a bunch of zeros and ones, can do away with beings who are _adapted_ to survive!" Kai mocked.

Finally, Aster made up his mind. He had to kill the clone, even if its resemblance to Kira did not make it feel right to him. It was the fact that it resembled her that made him so hesitant to take action. He took the clone by surprise when she wasn't paying attention to either of them, and impaled her.

" _That's what happens when you impersonate my mate!_ " Aster said.

The com-synth of Kira began to flicker in a distortion field of code and static while Aster's tail was still stuck through her. She regurgitated a thick, bluish fluid. There was no blood being spilled; the clone was simply glitching like crazy.

Aster withdrew his tail, and the clone continued to glitch... but it showed signs of slow recovery from the impalement.

"I think the synth is about to regenerate!" Kai said. "Get upstairs, Kira! It's definitely you she's after! We'll do what we can to try and get rid of her!"

Kira immediately rushed to her bedroom and barricaded the door with a large bureau. Then, she proceeded to pull out a silver case that she had concealed in her closet, opening up the combination locks on the two sides of it. All the while this was happening, the com-synth started to pound on the door.

"Stop! Get away from there!" Kai's voice came from the other room.

The sound of a struggle began to ensue outside of the room; there were clearly things being knocked over, and some even breaking. But that did not matter to Kira right now.

Kira opened the case she got out... and from it, she pulled out a .45-caliber handgun that she purchased shortly after moving in to her new home. She decided to get it as a means of defense if anyone were to forcibly break into her home. Whether it was a regular robber, or a government agent, she would mow them down to protect her mate and daughter.

Now that she was armed in a practical sense, she pushed the dresser back out of the way and made her way down the stairs. She saw Aster and Sugarcube struggling against the com-synth, who was lifting up large pieces of furniture effortlessly and hurling it at them. Kai was on the ground, bleeding and bruised, but not so much that it looked like he was dying.

She aimed her gun at the clone... and squeezed the trigger. A loud bang went off and the clone began to glitch out again. Kira continued to fire as Kai covered his ears and the two Xenos took shelter in the kitchen. She did not stop until the weapon was unloaded, as indicated by the slide locking back.

The com-synth had become an amorphous mass of code that lingered in the air for a moment... and then dissipated, sinking into the ground with lines of cyan binary code scattering in all directions. Kira let out a relieved sigh.

"I think it's gone." Kira said.

"Agh..." Kai said. "...that's good... hey... could you get me an ice pack or something...?"

"Sure." Kira answered.

She went to her fridge with a dish towel, and get ice from the dispenser to fill the towel. After which, she gave it to Kai, who placed it on his bruised leg.

"You just wait here for a minute. I'm just gonna put my gun away, and then I'll grab some hydrogen peroxide and bandages from my medicine cabinet." Kira said.

She went upstairs, put her gun back into its case, and was about to head over to her bedroom's bathroom... but she stopped, placing her hands on her stomach, which was making a fairly loud gurgling noise.

"Ohh... I feel weird..." Kira commented.

It felt like her organs were sloshing around inside of her, which caused a slight sensation of nausea. She would potentially describe the sensation being like her insides were changing in shape and size. She was also starting to sway slightly, as she was feeling an onset of dizziness. But that was only the start; things began to get weirder...

Kira's skin appeared to be bubbling like a thick molasses. It was creating a very strange feeling like her flesh was turning to liquid or something. She brought up her arm to examine it... and she was able to make out jet-black patches covering it, slowly spreading out in branchlike patterns. She could even feel her bones changing in shape; it felt like they had softened to clay and were being molded telekinetically.

She tried rubbing off the black coloring... but found that it was actually part of her skin. It had turned to a sleek, vinyl-like hide. It was happening all over her body, including her other arm, her legs, her torso, and her head and face. The dizzying sensation that was coming over her was only intensifying, coupled with the bizarre feeling of her muscle tissue squirming around inside of her like a bunch of worms.

"...A-ah..." Kira moaned as she fell onto all fours. "...what's... happening to me...?"

Her hair began to rapidly fall out, including her eyebrows and eyelashes, leaving her bald, and she felt her head lengthening in the back. Then, she felt her clothes starting to get tighter, indicating that she was growing rapidly. Kira was not sure what was going on... but it was starting to feel so good.

She could feel her internal organs changing in shape and size, and her bones felt like clay being molded into a different shape. There was a strange, tingly sensation that spread all across her body, spanning from the surface of her skin to deep into her muscles.

Her eyes closed themselves... and her eyelids sealed. She could not open them. For a brief moment, she was worried that she had gone blind... but surprisingly, her vision returned to her, but in a very different way. It was not light she was seeing, but rather... _sound_ that she could see. It appeared that she was gaining some form of echolocation.

Kira began to note that her clothing was getting tight. Her jeans and lower undergarment were the first to go; they ripped at the back, which relieved pressure she was feeling in her posterior... and it turned out that she was growing a _tail_. She could feel each individual segment of vertebrae forming as it lengthened. Her legs were also lengthening, and her buttocks became more... pronounced... which caused what was left of her trousers and panties to slide off.

Next came Kira's top, which was tightening, especially in the back. There were four distinct points where she felt pressure, which became overbearing until it eventually ripped through the back of her shirt, causing it to fall to the floor. Even after it came off, she could still feel the four spots on her back tingling as they became more enlongated. Her bra was still on properly... but not for long.

Kira could feel her bra tightening as well; this was due to her... assets... expanding in size. She was no longer within her D-size boundary, especially since she could feel her only remaining article of clothing about to give from the tightness. The strap of her bra eventually snapped under the pressure of her inflating tits, and it simply fell to the floor, leaving the transforming Kira completely naked.

Her tongue was going through a change of its own. She could feel it becoming thicker, harder, and longer... especially at the front. In fact, she gained some sort of muscle memory... and she could actually split it horizontally, moving each portion up and down... like a second pair of jaws...

Kira was slowly starting to realize what was going on... and she enjoyed every second of the heavenly sensation that her transformation was manifesting in her entire body. It was surprisingly not painful in any way (save for the dull aching in her bones from them changing in size and shape, which somehow still felt pleasant to her).

The orgasmic feeling Kira was experiencing made her feel quite weak and drowsy. She laid herself on the ground, continuing to be enraptured by the sensation as it made her quickly doze... and within seconds, she was peacefully asleep.

 **Well, things keep getting weirder and weirder, huh? I'm sure a lot of you know what's up, but I'll be sure to explain in future chapters. Sorry about the wait time, but y'know... university finals, right? Anyways, thanks for the continued support! I'll catch you all later! Keep holding on...**


	23. Ch 22 - Virax

**Okay, working on two fics at once probably wasn't my best consideration, but I am going to try to make the best of it so I can continue to provide for you guys! So, after another long stretch of waiting, here's another chapter!**

Kira slowly began to wake up, regaining her sense of sight… but she did not open any eyes on her face to do so.

" _Woah… why did I fall asleep again…?_ " Kira said… but her voice seemed… off.

It did not sound any different than it usually did, but instead of coming from her mouth, it sounded like it was coming from inside her _head_. Also, her eyesight was a bit different; it was like a fisheye effect, allowing her to see her entire washroom… but somehow, it actually worked, and did not feel disorienting like she had seen through a lens or screen.

She lifted her hand to rub her head, and as she was bringing it down… she happened to notice that it was shaped very differently, and was a jet-black color with a sleek, smooth texture.

" _Huh?_ " Kira uttered, looking at both of her hands. " _Wh-what is this…?_ "

She immediately stood up and looked at the mirror… and what she saw nearly made her heart stop. In the mirror… was a female Xenomorph Drone. Kira looked around to confirm her suspicion… and she was indeed the only living being in the bathroom. That Xenomorph… was _her_.

" _Okay, this has gotta be a dream or something… this_ can't _be real..._ " Kira said to herself.

She went straight to the sink, which she turned on to splash cold water in her face.

" _C'mon, wake me up!_ " she said. " _C'mon, Kira… WAKE UP!_ "

It was no use… what she was doing was not working. She concluded, in that moment, that she was indeed now an alien. Her curiosity was beginning to overcome her confusion, and she began to examine her new body. The first thing she checked out was her tail. It was fairly long, about ten feet, but she was able to keep it in such a position over her shoulder that it did not really get in the way. In fact, it did not feel unnatural; she felt as if she had been born with it.

She next examined her skull. Waving her hand over the carapace portion was obscuring certain areas of her vision, but she could still see just fine, since it was only a small portion of her fisheye field of vision. She could even touch it without it hurting.

" _Wow. For once, I can touch my 'eye' without it hurting..._ " Kira said to herself.

She then examined the more feminine portions of herself. She noticed that her breasts had grown quite a bit, as did her buttocks, giving her some nice curves. She gently fondled her female glands as a satisfied grin spread over her face.

" _FINALLY, they're bigger! Now I really DO feel sexy!_ " Kira said.

Aster had called Kira "sexy" many times before, mainly on the nights the two of them had their… special nights. But just looking at how feminized she had become just made her feel all the less insecure with herself.

She did a final few tests with her new body by flexing her fingers, slow kicks of each leg, and subtly rippling her tail.

" _Y'know, this isn't so bad..._ " Kira said to herself.

In her new body, Kira did not feel inhibited or impaired in any way. She could just _feel_ that she was faster, stronger, more agile, more flexible, and overall better than before. She absolutely loved how firm her new muscles felt, and how slim her torso and limbs were as well.

She felt... perfect.

Kira then left the bathroom to head back downstairs and find Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube.

" _Hey, guys! Something totally AWESOME just happened to me! Get ready for a surprise—_ " Kira stopped speaking as a voice cut her off.

" _Kira…? Is that you?_ " came Kai's voice in her head.

A male Xenomorph Drone had revealed himself, walking from the living room into the foyer.

" _Aster? Did you just hear Kai?_ " Kira asked.

"Aster" let out a confused hiss.

" _What do you mean? I'm not Aster! I'm Kai!_ " came Kai's voice in Kira's head.

Kira stood motionless for a moment. " _...Kai? That's YOU?_ "

The male Drone stood more upright. " _Kira!? It happened to_ you _, too?_ "

" _Wait, wait, wait… what's even going on?_ " Kira asked.

" _Hell, I thought you were Sugarcube when I saw you, but when you spoke..._ " Kai trailed off.

The two pondered for a moment while they thought about their current situation. Nothing had made sense so far… but that was just the thing Kai had been suspecting for a little while now.

" _I think this might actually be logical, given what's transpired so far._ " Kai said.

" _What do you mean 'logical'?_ " Kira asked. " _People don't just randomly transform into Xenomorphs!_ "

At that moment, two individuals, wrapped in blankets, came into the foyer. One was a young man, and the other a young woman.

"Hey… what's going on here?" the young man asked in Aster's voice.

Kira made a hisslike gasp. " _Aster? Sugarcube? Is it… you?_ "

"Yeah..." the human girl answered in Sugarcube's voice.

" _No way…_ " Kira said. " _...we SWAPPED SPECIES OR SOMETHING!?_ "

As a human, Aster was roughly two meters in height, had hair that looked similar to Kai's, but was a chocolate-brown instead of black, and slightly thicker. He also had blue eyes, fair skin, and a fairly thin, but slightly athletic, figure.

Sugarcube had light skin, very long, straight, blonde hair that went down past her shoulders, gray eyes, and a thin figure, and she still had some very nice, subtle-but-sexy curves. She was slightly shorter than Aster.

"I don't know what happened..." Aster said. "...it's like, after you went upstairs, Kira… I started feeling really weird… like everything inside of me was… reshaping… resizing…"

"The same thing happened to me as well!" Sugarcube said.

" _I guess that makes all of us!_ " Kai chimed in. " _I was just laying on the sofa with the ice pack on my leg, and all of a sudden, the pain from my injuries was going away. In fact… the injuries_ themselves _were going away; healing rapidly. And just after that is when my own transformation started. When it was finishing up… I ended up falling asleep._ "

"Me too!" Sugarcube said.

"Same!" Aster added.

Xeno-Kira walked in front of her humanized lover, examining him. A smile appeared on her face.

" _Wow, Aster..._ " Kira said. " _...as a human... you're pretty HOT!_ "

Aster was checking Kira out himself. "You're not too bad as a Xeno yourself, Kira!"

"As much as I am awestruck over all this… I'm still confused. Why did me and Aster turn into humans, and you and Kira turn into Drones?" Sugarcube asked Kai.

" _Because... this isn't the real world._ " Kai said. " _We're in a_ virtual _world!_ "

The faces of the other three lit up with enlightenment (but Kira, being a Xenomorph, was not nearly as expressive as a human).

" _...That would explain why everything made no sense!_ " Kira said.

"But then… what are we even doing in a virtual world in the first place?" Aster asked.

Kai pondered. " _...I don't know_ exactly _, but… I have a feeling Meyers could be behind it._ " he said.

" _And… if the virtual system is THIS complex… with just about everything we know from back home..._ " Kira said.

" _...it could very well be the system we were trying to break into that one night to learn about Project: SUBCON. And with the references to 'Virax' that we saw… I have a feeling that it could very well be the codename of the multi-agent program running this world._ " Kai finished.

Kira was finally able to put two-and-two together.

" _Kai… you don't think..._ " she said.

Kai nodded. " _...We are inside the Virax system._ "

The four were silent for a moment. All of them exchanged glances as they finally processed what was happening.

"But then... what was with Sam and SORIA knowing nothing about Star and Chase?" Aster asked.

" _Well, given that we're trying to keep them hidden from the government, so WY would not be able to get any info about them from any existing database._ " Kai said.

" _Also... why IS everything so strange about the place? It makes it seem like Virax is just a joke world or something._ " Kira said.

" _I think I know what's going on._ " Kai said. " _From the glitch code on various surfaces, random objects appearing and disappearing, the nonsense people are saying, the random Xenomorphs roaming around without any concern being raised… and the fact that we were able to change into different species in a stable manner, free from deformities and negative side-effects. I think the Virax system might have a virus._ "

" _A virus..._ " Kira repeated.

" _Yes._ " Kai said. " _And if we can't figure out how to escape from this mainframe, we could end up having our real brains corrupted if the virtual world fails while we're still inside. It could only be a matter of time at this point..._ "

"So... what should we do?" Sugarcube asked.

" _Well... let's see..._ " Kai wondered. " _...there's gotta be a way we can access the Virax protocol system from inside the virtual world itself... there's gotta be some sort of internal interface..._ "

" _But how are we gonna do that?_ " Kira asked.

" _Well..._ " Kai began. " _...if this supercomputer houses a databank of everything in the real world... every known thing in the real world should exist in Virax. So... if we can find the virtual replica of the Virax supercomputer... we might be able to hack into the real system through the virtual interface!_ "

If Kira had her eyes, she would have had quite an impressed look. " _Do you think it can work...?_ " she asked.

" _With a bit of work, it should..._ " Kai said. " _...people could do it in_ Minecraft _decades ago, so we can do it even easier in today's age!_ "

"Can't we just do it on a regular computer? Like the one in your office, Kira?" Aster suggested.

Kai shook his elongated head. " _No. A regular computer would not have enough processing power to utilize the resources that the virtual replica of the entire planet runs on. We need a large-scale mainframe with enough computing power that will make it capable of handling the multi-agent client. And what better than the actual one that the real computer is modeled after?_ "

" _Sounds like a plan! Let's do it!_ " Kira said.

"Okay, but..." Sugarcube said, hiking her blanket cover up, which was sliding off. "...could me and Aster get some clothes, first?"

"Yeah... as a human, being naked feels _really_ awkward... and cold." Aster said.

(XXXX)

Meyers and Baldwin were making their way over to Kira's house, which they had managed to locate after looking up an address database.

"Soon, we will be able to see what our work has done, and ensure that they are unable to escape my little world, here!" Meyers said.

"But... was it really a good idea to plug _ourselves_ into your bigass machine? What if we disappear when that virus of yours takes over?" Baldwin asked.

"Oh, that shall not happen!" Meyers said, holding up a jump-drive. "This is the Superkey, which contains the command codes required to access the secured virtual replica of the SUBCON supercomputer! With just this, we can make our escape... right after we manage to obtain sufficient neural codes from one of our guests, here..."

"From all four of 'em?" Baldwin asked.

"Oh, no, no..." Meyers said. "...only from Subject SR-724. As for what I shall do with it... well, that shall be a surprise!"

Baldwin did not ask any more questions. He knew Meyers had a short temper, and became annoyed from being asked so many things, so he figured he would just have to wait and see what was up.

 **So, now that they are a little more aware of the situation, let's hope they can figure out how to get out of this mess! So, with that being said, thank you all for reading the chapter, and just stay tuned for the next one! Don't expect frequent updates, but don't expect me to never update, either! Keep holding on...**


	24. Ch 23 - A Way to Escape

**Okay, sorry again for the long wait, but I've had quite a lot of trouble when it comes to my school's financial aid, and I've been having to spend several hours working on that with my parents, and that accompanied by the ridiculous amount of homework I have been receiving. So, now that I've managed to find a bit of free reign, it's time to pick up where we left off!**

Kira, Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube all decided to head back to the Weyland skyscraper laboratory that they had originally come from in order to gain access to the Virax supercomputer and see if they could escape from the virtual system. It was already dark, so hopefully they could be able to use the lack of light to their advantage and avoid detection by Meyers and Baldwin.

" _I don't know what we should expect when we arrive back there, but we should prepare for the worst._ " Kai said.

" _I agree._ " Kira said. " _This could all be a trap by Dr. Meyers._ "

"Whatever happens, we'll be ready for it!" Aster said.

It was a bit awkward for Kai to try driving in his car, especially since he had grown in height considerably, and his tail made it difficult to sit in the seat properly. Kira decided to sit in the trunk of the SUV, and Aster and Sugarcube took the back seats, leaving the entire front row free for Kai. Despite managing to make it work, any of them would agree that cars are just not made for Xenomorphs.

Once they made it back to the complex, they all got out of Kai's car and quickly made their way to the front. The door was locked, so they simply broke the glass to enter; it was a virtual world, so they were not committing any real trespassing. Plus, there were no alarms that went off.

" _Okay, so we get back down there, access the system, and find wherever we gotta plug our heads into in order to wake up back in our real bodies._ " Kai said.

"Sounds good." Sugarcube said.

They all went back along the familiar path to the Virax quantum supercomputer in the basement of the building. Once they made it inside (having to burn through the door with acid blood that Kira and Kai had to promptly learn how to spray from their mouths), they accessed the interface of the colossal mainframe.

Despite his hands being different, and "visual" perception working in a completely different way for him and Kira, Kai was still able to use the computer's keyboard and mouse. However, he shortly ran into an unfortunate complication...

" _Ngh, I can't believe it! It's encrypted!_ " Kai said. " _And SORIA's transmitter is missing!_ "

" _Well, it's not like she would be of any help to us in this world anyways..._ " Kira said.

"So, how will we get out of this computer world?" Sugarcube asked.

Kai did a bit of further typing to reveal the pseudocode that would give them the information they would require.

" _Apparently, access to the real mainframe via the virtual one requires something called a… 'Superkey'..._ " Kai said.

" ' _Superkey'?_ " Kira asked.

" _I'm guessing it's a protocol that will decrypt every virtual node of the Virax mainframe._ " Kai said.

Kira was about to say something else, however… she gained a sudden onset of uneasiness.

" _Uh_ … _Kai..._ " Kira said.

" _Yeah, I sense it too..._ " Kai responded.

Both of them could sense, by pure instinct, that Meyers and Baldwin were getting close. They could just _feel_ the pure, psychic rage of the two men from roughly a mile away.

" _I just wanna know why they even bothered bringing us to the virtual world in the first place!_ " Kai said.

"I thought he was going to put us back into our cold, isolated cells again!" Aster said.

"Oh, how I never want to think about _that_ ever again..." Sugarcube remarked.

" _So, we should probably get out of here right about now!_ " Kira said.

" _Wait, Kira..._ " Kai began. " _...I have a better idea!_ "

" _What?_ " Kira asked.

Kai was eying a device that was sitting on the console desk. It was a code localizer, capable of tracking down any designated code that was active on any computer system in the world. It functioned through satellites for global scan accuracy.

" _What's say we make those two bastards paranoid as a bit of a…_ distraction… _?_ " Kai suggested.

(XXXX)

After Kai had finished explaining his plan, Aster and Sugarcube made it to the roof of the building's entrance, which was only three stories high, and in front of the actual skyscraper portion, awaiting Meyers and Baldwin's car to arrive any second now.

They had been given the code localizer, which they would use as part of the plan. Even though they did not actually have the source code of the Superkey, they could still trick the two escapees in order to hopefully gain an advantage over them.

Kira and Kai, meanwhile, were hidden behind the bushes and shrubbery surrounding the front of the building. They would hopefully be able to eavesdrop and hear some useful information.

Sure enough, the lone car from the highway had pulled off and made its way to the WY building, where it pulled right up to the front entrance. Meyers and Baldwin stepped out and began to examine their surroundings.

"Where are those little bastards?" Meyers asked.

"Up here! Come and get us!" Aster said.

Meyers and Baldwin looked up at the roof above the entrance wing's third floor to see the humanized Aster and Sugarcube.

"The hell are you doin' up there!?" Baldwin shouted up at them.

Aster pulled out the device given to them by Kai, and showed it to the two men three stories below them.

"Look what we got here!" Aster said.

"We've got us a 'code lo-cal-i-zer'!" Sugarcube said, having trouble pronouncing what the device was.

"Yeah!" Aster added. "You use your little escape-key, and we'll know where to find it! It's already been plugged into your virtual computer to know which signal it is!"

"Let's kill 'em!" Baldwin said.

Just as he was about to enter the building, Meyers held out his arm sideways to stop him.

"Patience, my friend." Meyers said. "The last time I went off of impulse, I was outsmarted by Sykes and Ripley."

"Well, this ain't like the last time! This is a virtual world that _you_ made! They don't know how it works! These kids are just running around scared, trying to get away from us! They don't have a plan!" Baldwin said.

Meyers looked at Baldwin with narrow eyes.

"No more thinking, alright? _I_ do the thinking around here! And I've got an idea..." Meyers said.

Baldwin sighed and stepped back. From there, Meyers returned his attention to the humanized Aster and Sugarcube on the roof of the entry wing.

"SR-724! VX-429!" Meyers called.

"Yes?" Both of the Xenos-turned-humans said.

"I just want to say that, right now, nothing would give me a greater sense of satisfaction than to put a bullet through your heads." Meyers said.

Baldwin chuckled.

Meyers shrugged. "Picking off two Xenos wouldn't make me feel bad in the least, ya understand?"

"Mm-hm." Aster and Sugarcube both nodded.

"However, since we are in a hurry, we will offer a compromise that will benefit everyone here: if you throw down that synced code localizer, we will not hurt you! We will release you all from Virax back into the real world… and you will never see nor hear from us again!" Meyers said.

"You promise?" Sugarcube called back down.

"Scouts' Honor!" Meyers said, holding his right hand over his chest, and holding up with left with his three middle fingers raised.

Aster and Sugarcube looked at each other for a moment, nodding.

"Okay!" Aster called down to the two men.

Meyers and Baldwin chuckled silently.

"Like gullible children, they are..." Meyers said, his voice low in volume.

Aster picked up a meter-long steel pipe that was sitting among a pile of them on the rooftop of the few-stories-high wing of the building, and then peered back over the ledge at the two men.

"Okay, give it to us!" Meyers said.

Aster immediately threw the pipe down at the two men, whose eyes went wide at the falling projectile.

"SHIT!" Baldwin shouted as they both jumped out of the way in time their arms covering their faces.

The pipe clanked loudly upon hitting the concrete pavement. Meyers and Baldwin examined it after they were sure it lost momentum.

"What the hell was that?" Baldwin asked.

"A pipe..." Meyers said, picking up the metal tube. "...they're throwing pipes at us!"

Baldwin's jaw dropped. "The little shits..."

Meyers stood back up and glared angrily at Aster and Sugarcube, who were still looking down at them.

"Okay, 724 and 429, you wanna throw pipes!? Go ahead! Throw another one!" he challenged his foes.

Sugarcube picked up a pipe this time, throwing it down at her former captor with all her fury. The two men shielded their faces with their arms as they jumped aside once again, only lowering their guard once they were sure it was safe. Baldwin stepped forward this time.

"If you big space-bugs can't do any better than that, you're gonna lose!" he shouted.

Aster and Sugarcube both picked up pipes, throwing them simultaneously in an attempt to hit the men who have been causing them so much trouble. Once again, they shielded themselves and dodged.

"You got any more!?" Meyers shouted up at them.

Aster and Sugarcube looked at each other.

"What do you think? Should we back down yet?" Aster asked, quietly.

Sugarcube shrugged. "...For a moment." she said.

Meyers noticed that they were being apprehensive, and figured that they had given up.

"Okay, let's go." he said to Baldwin. "They don't have any more pipes; they must be out of them."

However, Aster and Sugarcube each picked up two more pipes out of the pile, making for a grand total of four. They both smirked at each other while they prepared for another barrage of falling metal to unleash.

When they were sure that Meyers and Baldwin were looking away, they hurled the four pipes simultaneously. Meyers and Baldwin happened to look up once again, and shrieked as they saw the falling pipes. They covered their faces with their forearms and managed to jump aside yet again, just in the nick of time.

This made both men absolutely furious.

"ALRIGHT, THAT'S IT!" Meyers roared. "NOBODY THROWS HEAVY OBJECTS AT ME AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"

Kira and Kai were still both hidden, across from each other on either side of the entrance walkway, in the bushes.

" _Okay, now might be a good time!_ " Kira said. " _Let's get them!_ "

" _Wait, Kira..._ " Kai projected telepathically. " _...it might not be a good idea to jump them so suddenly. For all we know, they could have some sort of backup or contingency programmed into the system, and it could spell bad news for us if we try to escape!_ "

"So… _what exactly is the plan?_ " Kira asked.

Kai paused a moment before telepathically speaking to her again.

" _Hey, I'm just making this up as I go..._ " Kai said.

The two of them happened to notice Meyers and Baldwin stop at the entrance, before making their way into the main building. By focusing their hearing like a directional shotgun microphone, Kira and Kai were able to pick up on their conversation.

"Listen," Meyers began. "they probably don't suspect you as a major threat. It's definitely _me_ they're going to want to go after first."

"Yeah, and...?" Baldwin asked.

Meyers reached into his pocket and pulled out a flash drive, which he put into Baldwin's hand.

"I need you to hang onto this. It's super important!" Meyers said.

Baldwin examined it. "You want me to hold on to… _it_? But, why would I use it when you know what's going on around here?" he asked.

"All in good time, my friend..." Meyers said. "...but _do NOT_ lose it!"

With that, the two proceeded into the building, and above, Aster and Sugarcube were quick to make a getaway. After waiting for a moment, Kira and Kai scaled up the building; they were able to cling to the concrete surface like Spider-man thanks to their Xenomorph abilities.

" _Wow, I still can't get over how fun this is!_ " Kira said. " _Why couldn't I have been_ born _as a Xenomorph?_ "

" _...Because if you ended up on Earth, you'd have to deal with Weyland-Yutani_." Kai rationalized.

As they made their way up, Kai was thinking about what had happened a few moments ago.

" _That jumpdrive Meyers gave to Baldwin… that's gotta be the Superkey!_ " Kai said.

" _You sure about that?_ " Kira asked.

Kai looked over at Kira and nodded his elongated head once. " _Positive. Why else would he tell him that it's 'super important'?_ " he asked.

Kira sighed. " _Why couldn't it just be some Red Pills…?_ "

They made it to the top of the entrance wing, where they could sense that Aster and Sugarcube were nearby. They emerged from their hiding places to meet up with their Xeno-fied lovers.

"Now we know how you feel; not being able to sense anything really sucks!" Aster said.

" _Anyways, we need to find a place to hide, fast!_ " Kai said. " _We can't let them figure out where we are._ "

With that, they set off inside the building in order to find a place where they could elude Meyers and Baldwin. They had to be able to get the Superkey from them, so they could not just abandon the place. They needed to escape from the Virax system as soon as possible.

Kai gave a quick rundown of the situation to Aster and Sugarcube.

" _We're gonna have to steal it from them when their guard is down… maybe the best time would be when they are asleep. That would give us extra time to get back to the Virax computer and make our getaway!_ " Kai said.

"Okay, so in the meantime… where are we gonna hide?" Aster asked.

" _Well… I suppose we'll need to continue moving whenever we sense them getting close._ " Kira said. " _Hopefully, they'll get bored with us and quit… but I imagine they won't leave._ "

" _She's right. They'll probably guard the supercomputer to prevent us from escaping Virax._ " Kai said.

The four of them pondered briefly.

"Okay, we'll wait for them to hopefully fall asleep, steal the Superkey, and get out of here!" Sugarcube said.

" _Okay, now let's go before they get up here and catch us!_ " Kai said.

(XXXX)

Meyers and Baldwin both searched high and low for their four quarries, scanning the region for digital biosignatures, but they were unsuccessful in trying to find them, as they were continuously moving to avoid the two men.

"I'm getting the feeling that they've left." Baldwin said.

"No matter." Meyers responded. "We can simply wait them out. Now that they know we are in a virtual world, they are bound to return to the virtual interface to escape back into the real world. Later, we'll enable the motion sensors around the building to alert us if they come back while we are sleeping."

Baldwin sighed. "Is there a TV around? I don't wanna get bored wasting so much time around here..."

"From my estimate..." Meyers said, looking at his custom armguard-style hologram-tablet. "...only seventy-six microseconds have passed in realtime. So, technically, we are not even wasting a moment."

Baldwin sighed again. "You really don't know how it's _supposed_ to feel…"

Meyers looked out a large bay window at the front of the building.

"Soon enough… those brats will pay for the things they have taken from me! And for the things they have done to me! Once they return… they shall have hell to pay!"

 **Well now, this is quite the tricky situation, isn't it? I found it kinda funny to imagine these scenes playing out; could you imagine a Xenomorph driving a car or typing on a computer keyboard? XD Anyways, thank you for following the slow-but-surely progress of the story, and I will return with more! Keep holding on...**

 **NOTE: I don't know what's been going on with the site, but I am currently unable to successfully upload any documents into the DM. Is anybody else having this problem? I had to cut-and-paste this chapter into a pre-existing document in my DM.**


	25. Ch 24 - Superkey

**Okay, time for yet another chapter. I've been actively trying to get a new, more flexible job, and I think something might have just panned through. This could very well be the breakthrough I need in order to start putting out chapters sooner. Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I'll be more active on the site! So, hope you all like the new chapter!**

Once night had fallen, Kira, Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube came out of hiding and began to sneak around the building through the air ducts and structure spaces filled with scaffolding. From what they had become aware of, Meyers was downstairs guarding the Virax supercomputer, and Baldwin was at the front entrance to the building.

The two escaped prisoners had assumed that the foursome left the building, and were standing guard just in case they would come back.

The four heroes continued to sneak around in a way that they would avoid being detected by the motion sensors that could alert their adversaries.

" _I just wonder where all the WY staff are?_ " Kira asked.

" _I assume Meyers must've programmed Virax in such a way that the virtual people are avoiding this building, just so nothing could stop him from doing… whatever it is he wants with us._ " Kai answered.

"Yeah, but… _what_ does he want with us?" Aster asked.

" _I still haven't figured that out yet..._ " Kai said.

The four had crawled through a wide, durable air duct directly above the lobby, where they saw Baldwin take a seat in an armchair he had just finished hauling right in front of a television he moved into the room. He then promptly sat in the chair and switched on the TV with the remote. From how Meyers built the system, the virtual televisions would take in data from airings in the real world, and play them back in the virtual world.

" _Okay, so all we gotta do is wait for Baldwin to fall asleep, and then we'll sneak down and steal the Superkey from him_." Kai said. " _Hopefully, he'll be falling asleep soon; it's midnight._ "

Kira shifted her head a bit to get a better look.

" _...I just can't wait to finally give Meyers some retribution myself!_ " she said.

They watched as Baldwin scrolled through the channels, waiting for him to hopefully fall asleep.

(XXXX)

Quite a bit of time had passed, and Baldwin was still not relenting. He had not even lowered his arm holding the remote, continuing to surf the channels.

"...He's been changing the channel for _ten minutes_ now!" Sugarcube whispered.

" _Well… maybe there's nothing good on right now?_ " Kai suggested.

All of them simply sighed.

" _Let's just hope he gets bored with the show or something..._ " Kira said. " _...hopefully, he does, given how slow I feel his heartbeat and brainwaves are becoming..._ "

(XXXX)

It took a little while later, but Baldwin was snoring with his eyes closed, but the TV was still on. Kai was peering down at him, utilizing his Xenomorph instincts for greater directional focus.

" _...I think he's finally asleep, Kira._ " Kai said, turning to his friend.

However… Kira herself was now asleep, it seemed.

" _Kira?_ " Kai said, just before nudging her shoulder. " _Ki-ra?_ "

" _...Huh…? GAH!_ " Kira telepathically shrieked, just before she started clawing at the air. " _Gimmethatkey!_ "

The remaining three looked at her curiously, Aster and Sugarcube having woken up from a nap of their own.

" _...Ngh… just resting my eyes..._ " Kira said.

"But you don't HAVE eyes." Aster pointed out.

Kira sighed. "You know what I mean, Aster..."

" _So, now might be the perfect chance!_ " Kai said. " _One of us is gonna have to sneak down there and take the Superkey from Baldwin! From what I can see… it's around his neck._ "

"Okay, but… which of us can do it?" Sugarcube asked.

" _I think it would be a job… for a Xeno!_ " Kai concluded.

" _What, so..._ " Kira began. " _...you're gonna go down there and swipe the Key?_ "

" _Not_ me _, Kira… but_ you _._ " Kai said.

" _What!?_ " Kira said, surprised. " _Why do_ I _have to do it!?_ "

" _Because, from what I've researched, female Xenomorphs are more agile, and naturally better with stealth._ " Kai said.

Kira pondered anxiously about how she was going to pull this off without getting caught.

"I know you can do it, Kira. You've got the right physique and mindset, from what I noticed during our last confrontation with Meyers." Aster said.

Kira sighed. "Okay… _I'll sneak down there and get it from him._ "

And so it was decided. Kira began to climb out of the ventilation duct and make her way across, using her Xenomorph grip to cling to the sides of it. Her tail gave her added stability and balance by wrapping it around the duct.

Kira was able to get over to a part where she could slide straight down, but she had to do it fairly slow in order to avoid making any noise. She made her way down the vertical part of the duct firefighter-style, descending gradually into the lobby area. Baldwin was still asleep, snoring quite loudly.

 _Wouldn't be surprised if he had sleep apnea…_ Kira said.

She made her way to the floor, and walked over to the lounge area of the lobby on all fours in a similar fashion to Gollum from _Lord of the Rings_ , just to avoid making noise. Now would come the tricky part: getting the Superkey from Baldwin without waking him. Kira could see it around his neck, but it was on an elastic band that resembled a choker. Applying any tugging force to it might make him wake up.

However, Kira knew that she had a bit of a biological advantage here. For one thing, her fingers could spread out far wider than a human's, which could allow her to stretch the band around his neck outward so that it stops touching him completely. And then, she could simply slip it off over his head. But… there was a problem.

Baldwin was slumped over sideways, preventing this from being a viable method for removing the Superkey flash drive.

 _...I guess I'll have to cut it off his neck. Thank God I have claws as a Xeno._ Kira thought.

With that, she approached the sleeping man until she was hovering right over him. The sound of his snoring was drowning out the white noise of the ventilation. She had to carefully lift the jumpdrive off of his neck by prying the elastic band out wide, and cutting it away.

Kira immediately got to work, trying to insert the tips of her fingers into the band around Baldwin's neck. She lightly grazed his skin, causing him to tense his neck a little bit, but he remained asleep. The Xenofied girl was becoming fairly tense at this point.

She had managed to spread the band out wide enough to get it away from his neck, and now came the matter of using one of her claws to slice it. Regardless, she was sweating bullets and was doing her best to keep her breath under control. Her heart was racing, and her hands were shaking a bit. Regardless, she was able to start making a small notch into the edge of the elastic band on the Superkey.

Kira's sweat drop fell onto Baldwin's face. He began to stir a little bit, and slightly opened his eyes to see her. Kira froze in shock... but Baldwin just smiled dreamily, his eyes shifting down a bit to get a glimpse of her… chest and curves.

"...Ahh... a sexy goddess..." he said, just before closing his eyes again.

Baldwin had seen Kira, but did not actually wake up. So, it seemed like he really did not care about what had just happened. She took advantage of this, and cut the key off completely. Then, she carefully pulled it away so as not to stir the sleeping man any further.

Once she had it, Kira made a break for the air duct, back the exact way she had descended into the room. Once again, because she was a Xenomorph, she had the ability to climb up with relative ease.

" _You got it! Awesome, Kira!_ " Kai said.

"Yeah, that was pretty resourceful, what you did!" Aster remarked.

" _Thanks._ " Kira said. " _Now, we should probably head for the supercomputer?_ "

" _Not yet. Meyers could still be guarding it; we'll need to wait for him to leave before we make our getaway from the virtual world._ " Kai said.

Kira sighed. " _More waiting…? Seriously?_ "

Kai shrugged. " _I'm afraid so, Kira. But, as they say… all good things to those who wait._ " he said.

(XXXX)

The following morning, Baldwin awoke to see that the TV appeared to have turned off by itself. He assumed that there might have been a timer or something that enabled it to do this, but he did not care about it at the moment.

He simply stood from the sofa, and went into the nearby bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, he turned on a sink faucet and splashed water into his face to wake himself up… but upon looking at himself in the mirror once his attention was heightened, he noticed something wrong...

"Ah...!" Baldwin said, prying down the collar of his T-shirt to look at his neck. "...the Superkey! Where'd it go!?"

He tried to think about what he recalled last night.

"Wait... oh no! Last night, that dream... that goddess I saw..." he began, just as his eyes went wide in realization. "...that wasn't no goddess... it was that Sykes girl as a Xeno! It was really happening!"

Baldwin hung his head down and sigh in an annoyed way.

"She must've come in without setting off the sensors somehow and took it..." he said.

This made him thoroughly worried. He knew Meyers would be angry that he lost the jumpdrive, as no copy of it had been created apparently. Regardless… if Meyers discovers that the two children and their Xeno mates have escaped from Virax… he would be in a world of suffering.

Letting out a sigh of regret, he pulled out his phone and punched in Meyers' speed-dial number. After a moment, there was an answer.

" _What is it, Baldwin?_ " Came Meyers' voice.

"Meyers..." Baldwin began. "...I've got some bad news. I've lost the Superkey."

There was silence on the line for a moment. " _What...? THE SUPERKEY!?_ "

"Yes, the Superkey!" Baldwin said. "I think that Sykes girl stole it!

" _WHY DID YOU LEAVE IT UNATTENDED!?_ " Dr. Meyers shouted.

"I don't know!" Baldwin replied. "I was sleeping! I think she snuck into the lobby and nicked it!"

" _Ugh, you IDIOT!_ " Meyers shouted. " _What were you even thinking, falling asleep without making it difficult to get!?_ "

Baldwin groaned in frustration. "I don't know! I'm just _stupid-stupid-stupid_!"

" _Well, in any case, we cannot wait for long! We need to find those four before they escape the system! Only then will we both have our salvation!_ " Meyers proclaimed.

"Okay, I'll be down there in a minute." Baldwin said.

Immediately after he hung up, he made his way into the basement of the complex. He was more worried about what Meyers was going to do to him than their improvised plan of capturing their quarries.

 **Well, soon the action should really start to pick up, now that they have an actual way out of the Virax virtual world! So, hopefully with the next chapter, we'll have several questions out of the way that I'm sure have had many of you scratching your heads. So, adiós for now! Keep holding on...**


	26. Ch 25 - Reasons Why

**Ngh… again with the long waits. Sorry; I've been focused on an MLP fanfic I've just finished more so than this one. I know some people will hate me for that, but I've just been getting a lot more feedback, which has motivated me to keep going on it. Anyways, sorry about my rambling! It's the chapter you want, so here it is!**

Kira, Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube all quickly rushed for the room that held the virtual replica of the Virax supercomputer.

" _Let's hope we can still make it before those two find out we've stolen the Superkey!_ " Kai said.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. They opened the door to the supercomputer room… only to find Meyers waiting for them, a pistol in his hand.

"Ha!" Meyers said. "We outsmarted you this time!"

"Ngh… let's go!" Aster said, about to run back the other way.

The four turned around… only to find Baldwin blocking their path with his own gun. They were effectively surrounded. Even though any injuries they would receive would be a virtual projection… they were not going to take any chances, since there was no telling what sort of damage could be done to their real brains.

"So, this is where the sidewalk ends, children!" Meyers said.

"That's right!" Baldwin added. "It's time for you all to learn how to show some _respect_ for your elders!"

" _So… this whole thing, this virtual world trap and everything… it was all_ your _idea, wasn't it?_ " Kira asked to Meyers.

To everyone's surprise… he could actually hear her.

"Yes... I helped Weyland to build the supercomputer and create the virtual world of Virax as part of experimenting with the Xenomorph specimens to see how they would adapt to particular environments." Meyers said.

" _But why did you bring us into Virax in the first place!?_ " Kai demanded.

"Well… let's just say, this system… has the ability to _transfer intelligence and memories_! We've been using it to transfer and trade the consciousness of Xenomorph specimens into different bodies!" Meyers said.

"Wait..." Sugarcube began. "...so, you're trying to take control of our bodies?"

"Precisely." Meyers said. "Well, _two_ , in particular, VX-429… yours and SR-724's!"

"WHAT!?" Aster said.

"That's right! I shall take your body as my own, and leave all four of you trapped in this virtual limbo forever upon deactivating the system!" Meyers said.

"And… I guess I'm gonna have to end up takin' the female Xeno's body." Baldwin said. "Not my first choice… but better than bein' human, at least!"

The four heroes were all in utter shock at the idea of Meyers trapping them in the system and doing God-knows-what with their real bodies.

" _So,_ " Kai began. " _what was the deal with everyone in Virax saying a bunch of nonsense and random, weird things happening?_ "

"To jeopardize the system in an effort to render you unable to escape, I injected a virus into the supercomputer. It is of my own creation; the Manticore Virus." Meyers explained.

" _A virus..._ " Kira said.

" _Looks like my theory was correct, then._ " Kai added.

"Very good, Mr. Ripley." Meyers said, sarcastically. "And from the looks of it, the virus has affected the forms of your digital avatars! It seems your virtual species genes have been swapped!"

" _Also, WHY were there some government agents who came to my house and nearly ARRESTED me!? I have the feeling YOU had something to do with it, Meyers!_ " Kira said in pure anger.

Meyers smirked.

"I used the Virax supercomputer to hack into that government defense mainframe to get some information about nuclear weaponry I could get my hands on! The lead back to you was entirely unintentional; the com-synth had relayed your personal information to the wrong sector. I went back and altered all records of your phone number in order to cover my tracks. And before I did so, I had the digital clone of you take care of those government agents, all so _I_ could give you a _proper_ punishment for what you did to me... prison has broken me!" he explained.

" _Like you weren't_ already _broken!_ " Kira said. " _And what's all this about getting nuclear weaponry!?_ "

"Well, quite simple..." Meyers began. "...I was experimenting with genetics, and playing God… to _become_ God! I was raising that Queen you slaughtered, and trained her in secret, so I could command an entire hive to slaughter the police and military forces of the world, and put the rest of the population under _my_ control through fear-compliance! And since you have done all you could to take that away from me, I am now going to do everything in my power to destroy _everything_!"

The four heroes all stared at the crazy former doctor, their jaws hanging in pure, utter horror at what he had just described.

"But… why!?" Sugarcube asked.

"Because… this world… it has treated me like complete _bullshit_! Back when I was a kid, I had no friends, I had a mother who left me behind with my alcoholic father, and he physically and emotionally abused me constantly, accompanied by living a very Lower-Class lifestyle! If that's not bad enough, the school I went to treated me like a leper! I was bullied by nearly every student, and the instructors _never_ stepped in to intervene! Plus... there was Muriel... she was an absolute angel, I loved her dearly... and WHAT DOES SHE DO? She fucking TOSSES ME ASIDE, like everyone else! It's THIS WORLD that drove me to this! They all deserve to be punished!" Meyers stated.

"You're mad…!" Aster said.

Meyers scowled. "Watch your mouth, SR-724!"

"I'm not watching _anything_ except your slow, painful demise… which will be of _great_ delight to me!" Aster responded.

Kira shook her head in astonishment. " _I can't believe this… all this just because you had a bad childhood?_ "

Meyers folded his arms.

"What was that now, Ms. Sykes…?" he asked, sternly.

" _I'm just saying..._ " Kira began. " _...MILLIONS of children are bullied and/or abused, as well as suffer from unrequited love, but THEY don't all go on to become sociopathic mass-killers! It's not about your life_ before _then… you just need to look to the future and stay positive! Hurting others won't solve anything!_ "

Meyers narrowed his eyes in pure anger. "Oh, yes it will… yes it will..."

" _Why?_ " Kai asked.

"Because… I did nothing to deserve all the torment I was given… and now it's time for _others_ who did nothing to have the same done to them! They all get to have a good, carefree life, getting whatever they want, while _I_ had to suffer all my life! It's the only way _justice_ will prevail! It's only fair, given what this world is devolving into!" Meyers said.

"And it's gonna serve you little shits right for what you did to my _son_ , Aster!" Baldwin said.

" _Well, it's been a couple of days now, which means it's only a matter of time before we are retrieved by WY security, and you are apprehended!_ " Kai said.

"Oh, that will not be the case. Hardly an hour has passed in realtime... since this virtual environment has the ability to manipulate one's perception of timeflow!" Meyers said.

" _Manipulate timeflow perception?_ " Kai asked. " _Damn... you really spent a_ long time _working on this fancy supercomputer, haven't you?_ "

"That's correct, Mr. Ripley. And I intended to make good use of it in making our Xenomorph specimens adapt to our world so they will know _exactly_ how to counter the security measures implemented by the world governments! But now... I will have to take _drastic_ measures since I've been cut out of the project! I will eliminate mankind and Xenomorphs alike!" Meyers said.

Kira hissed in anger. " _What good will that do!? There are TONS of people who have had it worse than you! Plus, the Xenomorphs were never asked to be brought to a world they are not native to!_ "

"Everyone knows Xenomorphs are monsters!" Meyers said. "Unlike me, they were _born_ into violence and killing! That therefore renders our projects on them justified, as they are nothing more than a scourge of the galaxy!"

" _That's not true!_ " Kira said." _Xenomorphs are NOT all monsters! The ones you created are just as smart and emotional as actual PEOPLE! I love Aster! It took me almost LOSING HIM to realize it!_ "

"But, fairly soon, it will not matter..." Meyers said, walking over to a laptop mounted onto one of the supercomputer modules. "...because both my colleague here and I will be outside of Virax, and in new, better bodies that no human will be capable of keeping up with in terms of abilities!"

He began to input lines of code into a script writing program.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Sugarcube asked.

"I'm manually inputting the system information needed to transfer consciousness in the real world!" Meyers said.

He finished the lines of code, and began to compile them. It was fairly slow, though, only filling by one percent every two seconds.

"Subject SR-724... prepare to lose your body! For it is now _mine_!" Dr. Meyers shouted.

"Not a chance, Doctor Dumbass!" Aster said.

With that, the humanized Xeno rushed at Meyers, attempting to punch him in the face, but Meyers dodged, and swiftly drew his handgun. He leveled it on Aster, but kept his finger off the trigger.

"Now, I'd advise you to step away from the mainframe... if either of us damages it, we'll remain trapped in the Virax system until outside forces intervene." Meyers said.

Aster held up his hands, but Kira and Kai, with their heightened instincts, managed to achieve the precognition required for them to be able to make a counterattack. Kai rushed for Baldwin, whipping the gun out of his hand with his tail, and Kira rushed for Meyers, who was not quick enough to turn around before getting his hand struck by the blunt side of her tail.

Kira attempted to restrain Meyers, but then ended up getting elbowed in the stomach by him, which stunned her. Aster tried to counter by making his way over and crouching on all fours... but then he realized that his instinct did not match up with his current muscle memory. Meyers took advantage of this and darted at him, forcing Aster to jump aside.

 _Ngh... forgot; no tail._ Aster thought.

Sugarcube and Kai decided to take action; the former apprehended Baldwin by tackling him to the ground and pinning him. He was fairly large and clumsy, so she had the advantage. Kai, meanwhile, ripped a thick cable off of the wall, and used it to bind Baldwin's arms to his torso while Sugarcube stepped aside once he took over.

Kira and Aster were both able to quickly take down Meyers; Kira used her tail to trip him as he attempted to dodge a swift kick from Aster, and once they had him on the ground, they were able to do the same thing Kai did to Baldwin. Kira ripped another thick cable off the wall and wrapped Meyers up.

"Phew..." Aster said. "...that was close!"

" _They must be pretty desperate and overconfident to go two-against-four._ " Kira added.

"So... what are we gonna do with them?" Sugarcube asked.

"Grr..." Baldwin snarled.

"Take these ridiculous cables off of us RIGHT NOW!" Meyers said. "Or you will not be able to wake up in your proper bodies without us!"

" _Why is that?_ " Kai asked.

Meyers smirked. " _...Because I personally implemented a security measure that prevents you from awakening without a passcode that I and I alone know._ "

" _...In that case, we've got nothing to lose by trying!_ " Kira said.

Despite the protests of the two men, the foursome made their way to the main interface of the Virax supercomputer virtual replica, and accessed it. Kai took the Superkey jumpdrive and plugged it into an available socket. Immediately, many windows with scrolling code began to open, one after another, on the screens.

"So... will this work?" Sugarcube asked.

" _It should._ " Kai said. " _If this jumpdrive represents an object in the Virax source code with commands implemented to carry out the function of exiting the virtual world, it should be able to allow us to awaken once we go into the mindlink chambers._ "

" _But..._ " Kira began. " _...what if Dr. Meyers really did lock out the computer to keep us from escaping?_ "

Kai monitored the screens, but shook his head.

" _I think he was just bluffing; trying to scare us away from stopping him. Otherwise, the Superkey would not have worked._ " he said.

At that moment, all of the windows on the screens disappeared, and they went black with regular DOS text scrolling for a moment. Kai was able to recognize it as the virtual immersion script. At the bottom, after the compilation had finished, there was a single string of text:

 _...System Ready._

" _I think that did it!_ " Kai said. " _Now, let's just see if we can't find those mindlink machines, and plug ourselves in. We should awaken in the real world, back in our regular bodies once we do._ "

Kira sighed, hanging her head down. She was fairly uncertain about going through with this. Kai looked at her.

" _Kira... what's wrong?_ " he asked.

" _...Why would I want to go back?_ " Kira asked, looking at her hand. " _This... this is my_ true _form. As a human... I was_ nothing _..._ "

"Kira..." Aster said. "...you know that's not true! You are _everything_! To me... to Star... to _all_ of us..."

Hearing the name of her daughter, Kira tilted her head back up. She always wanted to be better than what she had currently been... but the cost of doing so, now that she thinks about it, will never be worth it. She wanted to hold her little Xeno girl in her arms again, especially so since she did not exist in Virax. Sure, she could be theoretically programmed in... but the real Star would be left behind for a mere program of her...

" _...Okay. I'm ready to go home._ " Kira said. " _But only as long as you all promise that you'll look at me no different than you do now in this digital universe._ "

"Kira... you are an _amazing_ , person! Xeno or human, you'll be amazing, no matter what!" Aster said.

Kira smiled. " _Thanks, Aster._ "

" _Now... let's not wait around anymore!_ " Kai said. " _Time for us to find those neural connection machines, and get the hell outta here! We need to figure out how to stop Meyers for good this time!_ "

Without saying much more, the four went to the directional sign at the entrance to the supercomputer room, and used it to locate the mindlink capsule room. The room had various tube-like machines that appeared to be made for people to lay inside of, with helm-like devices a little distance away from the platform that the head rests on.

It looked like there was another room for "Specimens" as the sign above the heavy door said. Peering through the thick glass, it looked like there were some that were modified for other alien beings... including Xenomorphs.

" _Okay, so just pick a capsule, set the delay you want, and we'll all awaken within the same moment in our real bodies._ " Kai said.

So, Aster and Sugarcube took the first two machines designed for humans closest to them, while Kira and Kai both went into the ones modified for Xenomorphs. The procedure was identical for all of them: use the control panel to open the environment control capsule, set the delay for consciousness transfer, step inside, wait for the countdown to end, and the helm device slides into place over the user's head.

Kira sat anxiously, but grateful that they were about to be freed from this virtual prison that Meyers had trapped them in.

 _Time to finally get out of this hell... and make him pay the ultimate price for everything he has done to innocent Xenos... and what he plans to do to everyone else!_ She thought.

The transfer activated... and Kira, as well as the other three, had a sudden vision of passing through a energy-rich tunnel that was winding randomly, just before meeting a bright light at the end...

 **Well, it seems that they have escaped from the terrible fate that could've befallen them! So, that wraps up another chapter! I know these updates have been infrequent, but I am happy to announce that this will soon change! Now that I am done with _Find Her, Stay With Her_ , I can allocate more time to work on this fic, and implement new ideas I've had for months now! So, just keep calm, and... keep holding on...**


	27. Ch 26 - Exposed

**Well, I figured I'd start working on this fic more frequently, since I've finished another one I had previously been dedicating more attention to. So, now let's see where the story picks up from here!**

Kira began to slowly open her eyes. She felt a bit lightheaded. The environment around her was a bit dim. After rubbing her eyes, she saw that she was inside of a large glass capsule, and a helm-like device was moving upward relative to her, off her head. It took a moment for her to process what was going on, but then she remembered.

"We… we're back..." Kira said.

She was fully aware of the fact that she was back in her regular body, as indicated by the familiar sensation she felt once more… as well as checking her hands. She pressed the button on the side of her capsule, and it slid open. Slowly, she began to stand up, and noticed that Kai was already up. It seemed like he was waiting for her.

"...Welcome back to Earth." Kai said.

Kira chuckled a bit, despite still suffering a bit from her waking hangover.

"Well… now we just gotta get Aster and Sugarcube, then we'll get out of here." she said.

"Right." Kai said. "Then, we just gotta find a way to stop Meyers for good! We still can't report him ourselves, because then Weyland will find Aster and Sugarcube after he reveals them in his interrogation, and take them from us!"

"Ngh… shouldn't we just kill him?" Kira asked.

Kai sighed. "I don't think that's a good idea… according to the law, murder is murder, regardless of whether the victim is a criminal or not."

At that moment, two capsules in the room began to open up themselves… and the two who had already awakened saw that it was Meyers and Baldwin who were occupying them. The helm devices were just coming off of their heads, and they were just beginning to wake up. Plus… they had handguns with them inside their capsules.

"Shit!" Kai said. "We'll talk about this later; right now, we gotta go before they get us!"

The two proceeded to quickly open the door to the Xenomorph mindlink chamber, having to hastily disable the locks, and then finding that Aster and Sugarcube had already woken up and left their capsules.

" _Hey, Kai..._ " Sugarcube said, sleepily.

"Ah… _it feels great to be back in my regular body!_ " Aster said, stretching his arms.

"You can celebrate waking up from Virax later, Aster… because right now, we gotta get the hell outta here!" Kira said.

The two proceeded to try and escape from the supercomputer mindlink chamber… but they were unfortunate enough to be spotted by their captors as they had emerged from their capsules already.

"They're still here! Get them!" Meyers said, drawing his gun.

All four shrieked as they rushed to escape. Gunfire rang out as the two madmen tried to shoot the pair of lovers, but missing every shot. They were making their way through the maze of rooms and hallways, shutting and locking doors behind them in order to slow down Meyers and Baldwin.

Eventually, Kira, Kai, Aster, and Sugarcube all managed to get away and out of the basement of the tower. Fortunately, there was still no WY staff anywhere that could spot them. Still, Kai had to quickly use his laser pointer to blind security cameras that the foursome came across. Once they got to Kai's car, which was still parked in its original spot, they started up the engine, finding that it was still warm, and stormed off.

Meyers and Baldwin both made it to the front door of the tower just as they saw Kai's car storming off in the distance, back towards the city.

"Damn it!" Baldwin said. "They got away from us _again_!"

"Well… no matter." Meyers said.

Baldwin sighed impatiently. "What _other_ 'bright ideas' d'ya got up your sleeve _this_ time?"

"I'll file an anonymous online tip with WY!" Meyers said. "We'll get those two brats away from their abominable 'mates' soon enough!"

"You're gonna tell WY directly? What if they find out it's _us_ reporting them? They'll track us down for sure! They'll know we're back on Earth!" Baldwin said.

Meyers shook his head.

"There exist ways to mask a computer's IP address, as well as remain confidential with the report, as I had just mentioned. I know I said that reporting them to WY would be a last resort… but from what I have observed, separating Ms. Sykes and Mr. Ripley from their 'secret, forbidden friends' will be FAR more devastating for them than death!" he said.

Baldwin rubbed his chin for a moment, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah… yeah, that just might work out!" he said. "Once Weyland takes them and locks 'em up in separate cells for the rest of their miserable lives, they'll suffer for the rest of their days… at least, what little there is left of them!"

"Exactly!" Meyers said.

With that, the two went straight back inside and began their work to access the lobby computer so that they could report Kira and Kai…

(XXXX)

Kira, Aster, Kai, and Sugarcube all drove straight back over to Kira's house, exactly as it had been when they left it. They went inside to find that Sam, Star, and Chase were all asleep, and SORIA was in a standby mode.

"Hey, we're back!" Kira said.

Sam, Star, and Chase stirred, while SORIA booted back up.

" _Welcome back, Kira._ " SORIA said. " _There was nothing out of the ordinary that I had recorded in your absence._ "

Sam yawned, stretching her arms. "Aah… so… what did you find out?"

"Well..." Kira began.

She began to explain how Meyers assisted in the development of the virtual world Virax for Project: SUBCON, which was intended to create an environment that was easy to manipulate, where they would upload Xenomorph specimens' minds as a means of testing their responses to particular situations. But Meyers secretly intended to use a unique protocol that allowed for an uploaded user to enter the body of another currently linked to the mainframe in order to presumably take control of a Xenomorph with the Royal Gene and be the center of a collective, worldwide hive-mind of Xenos.

"So… this Meyers guy… he wants to take over the world?" Sam asked.

"That was his original plan..." Kai said. "...but since we ruined his chances of it ever happening, now his goal is to _destroy_ the world."

Sam looked completely dumbstruck.

"What would he gain from that…?" she asked.

Kira sighed. "Apparently, he had a horrendous childhood that he just couldn't let go. Now he wants revenge on everyone, since he blames the world for his problems."

"That's just stupid!" Sam said.

"I know..." Kira said. "...but he's clearly not going to stop. This means we need to find a way to stop him ourselves!"

" _And… how do_ we _fit into all of this?_ " Chase asked.

"Well, you were originally intended to be part of his secret plan to take over… at least, your mother and Aster were, son. But now… I think he wants nothing more to do with Xenos. Hell, he just wants _all of us_ to suffer!" Kai said.

"So, like… what do we do?" Sam asked.

"We're gonna try to find a way to stop him." Kira said. "To do that… we're gonna need to anticipate his moves before he figures out what we're up to!"

Sam sighed impatiently. "So, like, if this guy is as dangerous as you say he is, I think you should call the police and tell them, right?"

"Well, we would, but..." Kira began. "...if that were to happen, they would place me and Kai under heavy surveillance, and then Aster, Star, Sugarcube, and Chase would be found! And I'm sure you know that I _never_ want to lose my family!"

"Well… let's not try to worry too much about it tonight. For now, we should just get some shuteye. Tomorrow, we'll be able to come up with a plan." Kai said.

"Okay." Kira said. "You're right, Kai."

All of them could agree that Meyers would probably want them to be worried, so that they would eventually become too tired to keep their guard up, and ultimately wind up being outsmarted by him and Baldwin.

"Well, I guess we'll be heading back to my place." Kai said.

"Okay." Kira said. "Just be on the lookout in case anything happens. Hopefully, Meyers doesn't know where you live."

Kai nodded. "In any case, stay safe! I'll stop by tomorrow to check up on you all!"

Star and Chase were both off to one side, having their own conversation.

" _To think we could be in real danger..._ " Star said. " _...are you scared, Chase?_ "

" _Well, yeah… but… I'm scared_ for _you, Star..._ " Chase responded.

Star was taken back a little bit by what he said. It came a bit out of nowhere, but at the same time… it was very flattering.

" _Aw, I'm glad you want to look out for me!_ " she said.

Chase placed a hand on the young female Xenomorph's shoulder.

" _I give you my word, Star..._ " Chase began, just before pulled her into an embrace. " _...I would DIE to save your life._ "

Star wrapped her own arms around Chase.

" _Oh, Chase, you're so sweet._ " she said.

The two slightly separated to be at "eye"-level with each other… staring at each other… both of them subtly rubbing the side of each other's head… slowly leaning closer… holding out their tongues… ready to have them make contact…

"Chase!" Kai said. "C'mon! We gotta get going for the night!"

The two young Drones retracted their tongues before they even touched.

Chase sighed, disappointed.

" _...I'll see you soon, Star._ " he said just before he began to reluctantly walk away.

Star waved at her male friend.

" _See ya, Chase!_ " she said.

After the Ripleys left… Star stood at the window as she watched them drive away… putting her hand up to the glass in the vain hope of reaching Chase…

 _Why can't I just say it to him…?_ She thought. _Why can't I do the simple thing of bringing myself to tell Chase that I love him…?_

"C'mon, Star." Kira said. "It's time to go to bed."

Star sighed as she came away from the window.

" _Yes, Mom..._ " she said.

(XXXX)

It was late in the night. Kira, Aster, and Star were all asleep. There was absolutely nothing that could disrupt their peaceful sleep in the hopes that they could ready themselves against Meyers… except…

BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.

There was a loud beeping sound, which woke Kira and Aster with a jolt.

" _...H-huh…?_ " Aster stammered. " _...What's going on…?_ "

" _Kira, my motion sensors have detected intruders to on your property._ " SORIA said.

"Huh…?" Kira said, suddenly fully awake. "What do you mean?"

" _They appear to be in a group of roughly ten individuals, and they have arrived in two armored vehicles._ " SORIA responded.

Using her heightened sense of hearing, Kira was able to hear the people at the front door.

"Weyland security! Search warrant!" came the rugged voice of a loud man.

Kira gasped. It had fully hit her in a few milliseconds that her worst fear had come to fruition; Weyland had come to take her family from her.

"I-it's… WY security..." Kira said.

" _What!? No!_ " Aster said. " _No-no-no-no… I don't wanna go back to that awful lab! And… I ESPECIALLY don't want Star to EVER suffer what I did!_ "

Kira decided what she needed to do… even if it meant taking a major gamble with her freedom, all she wanted was for her family to be alright.

"Aster..." Kira began. "...get Star out of here. Get her to someplace safe."

" _What!? But… but what about YOU, Kira!?_ " Aster said.

"Just trust me… there's no way I'll get out of this like last time." Kira said.

She was positive that WY would continue to chase her down, if they had indeed discovered that she was hiding Xenomorphs from them. If she let them take her, and they did not find out about Aster or Star, hopefully they could let her go. If not… she would use her mutated Xeno DNA to her advantage and escape.

"SORIA… I need you to encrypt any data on Aster and Star to a point where it is near-impossible for anyone else but me to access. Can you do it?" Kira asked.

" _I can, Kira._ " SORIA responded. " _I will compress and encrypt all data on your family into a hidden partition on one of my secondary drives. From there, I shall deactivate it should the computer analysts perform diagnostics on me._ "

"Okay..." Kira said, turning to her mate. "...please get somewhere safe. I'll make short work of this… especially if Kai has been found out, too..."

" _...Alright, Kira. I-I'll see you soon..._ " Aster said.

Reluctantly and with a bit of hesitation, he rushed into Star's room just as she was beginning to wake up to the sound of the WY agents using a battering ram to try and break Kira's front door in.

" _...Ahh..._ " Star groaned, stretching her arms. " _...Dad…? What's going on…?_ "

" _Bad people are here! We gotta get to safety!_ " Aster said.

The male Drone took his daughter by the wrist and started rushing her out of the room to a back door of the house.

" _B-but what about Mom?_ " Star asked.

" _She's not coming with us; she's gonna stay behind and deal with them. If I know your mother, she knows how to solve problems like this._ " Aster said.

Star glanced back at the part of the house where Kira was. There was a loud banging on the door as the Weyland security team was attempting to bash the door open.

" _Why can't she just run away from them if they're bad people?_ " Star asked.

" _Because they'll keep chasing her down until they've caught her. It's too risky for her to come with us. As long as they don't find us, we'll have a better chance of seeing her again._ " Aster said.

Star let out a sigh. " _...Okay._ "

The two Xenos made their break out of the house as quickly as they could, rushing off into the darkness of the night. Kira, meanwhile, was standing in the foyer of her house, waiting for her door to break… again.

Once it did, she was met with rifle-mounted flashlights all being pointed at her.

"FREEZE! PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" one Weyland agent shouted.

Kira did as he said and held up her hands as the rest of the squad surrounded her.

"Hey, hey! Don't move!"

"We have you surrounded!"

"Stay right where you are!"

The security team apprehended Kira, just as she willingly intended. They took her and locked her in the back of one of their armored trucks… but never even said a single word, even when they tried asking her questions, threatening to get violent if she did not answer. However, nothing came of it.

Regardless, Kira was still anxious about being transported to where she was going. She was unsure about how to avoid coming off as lying if they were going to interrogate her. All she needed to do was completely _convince_ herself that she knew nothing of Aster or Star…

...but while she could suppress her knowledge… she could _never_ do so with her love for her family. She hoped they would be alright…

 **This is gonna get ugly, isn't it? Well, like I said, I'll be able to start uploading chapters more frequently. But, fair warning, the story is gonna start to get really SAD from this point onward. If you are sensitive and cannot handle these kinds of things, then it might be in your best interest to stop here. If not… then keep reading as the chapters come. Thanks for continuing to follow me, and I'll catch you all later! Keep holding on...**


	28. Ch 27 - Daddy, No!

**Okay… it's time for a sad part of the story. I know that it's been kind of all over the place, but I promise that it will all have context by the time the story's climax comes about. So, on with the story!**

Aster and Star had managed to get a good distance away from Kira's house before the Weyland security officers could arrive and find them. There was no way that they were going to be able to fight them all off without reinforcements arriving.

" _Where are we going to go?_ " Star asked.

" _Somewhere safe._ " Aster responded. " _Once we are absolutely sure that it is possible to rescue your mother, only then will we go and find her. I know her telepathic signature quite well, so I can find her easily._ "

"O-okay… _but… what if those bad people hurt her or something?_ " Star asked.

Aster pondered for a moment. " _...I'm sure she'll be alright._ " he said.

The two Xenos eventually came across a fairly rocky region, a sort of canyon. They decided that it would be best to take shelter in this area.

" _Those people probably won't think to look here. Just stay close, sweetie._ " Aster said to his daughter.

" _Yes, Dad..._ " Star responded.

The pair eventually found a cave, and both of them agreed that it would be the ideal location to stay for the night. They both found a large spot of soft sand that would be comfortable enough for them to sleep on, and the cave had trapped enough heat from earlier in the day, at least close to the entrance.

" _Sleep well, Star._ " Aster said.

" _You too, Dad._ " Star said.

They both tried to fall asleep, which was difficult due to the fact that they were immensely worried about Kira...

(XXXX)

Kira and Sam had both been taken to a WY security detention center, where they were holding them in separate interrogation cells as they had been undergoing questioning for several hours, all the while denying any of their claims as if they knew nothing of what WY were talking about. Needless to say, Kira was very nervous; she believed that they were going to place her in jail, even if they did not find Aster or Star. Still, she tried her best to remain calm.

" _Kira, do you hear me?_ " SORIA asked through the earpiece that Kira was still wearing.

Kira sat up in that moment, and she held her hand over her mouth in order to redirect and amplify her quiet voice so that SORIA could hear her without the microphones in the in interrogation chamber hearing her clearly.

"Uh… yeah, SORIA… I'm here." Kira said, audible enough so she could hear it in the same ear.

" _Based on the signal of where your transceiver is..._ " SORIA said. "… _you appear to be in a WY security station._ "

"Yeah… and they are going to try to find Aster and Star, and what's worse is that Weyland has been known to put people in jail without concrete evidence. They just arrest people based on mere suspicion alone, and their too powerful and rich for the regular law enforcement agencies to do anything about it!" Kira said.

" _Indeed._ " SORIA said. " _The situation does appear to be rather dire at this point in time._ "

"So, what should we do about it?" Kira asked.

" _That, I am still unsure of._ " SORIA said. " _I am capable of accessing the computer mainframe of that building, but since you have clearly specified that I should not be doing any hacking, there is not very much that I can do to aid you, Kira._ "

Kira sighed. She hoped that some miracle could happen to help her get out of this dilemma… but fortunately, not everyone in Weyland-Yutani was corrupt.

(XXXX)

"Are you sure it's a good idea to let her and her housemate go, as well as the other young man we arrested shortly after?" a young male member of the security team asked.

"Their alibis are watertight." the team leader said. "Our forensics department investigated her property, as well as the young man's, and found absolutely no evidence of any extraterrestrial beings ever existing on the premises. The SORIA unit she possessed contained no data from its background recording partition about the allegations either. It doesn't matter how elaborate or fleshed-out the allegations are; we have no legal right to keep them detained if we can't connect any of them to the report."

"I know, but..." the younger security officer spoke, looking at Kira through the one-way soundproof glass. "...something about this girl feels… wrong. You know what I mean, right? She's got that weird… _vibe_."

The senior officer facepalmed. "Are you forgetting what happened back in 2059? A girl her age was arrested and brought before the local court based on flimsy allegations and unreliable theories. The word of her unreasonable detention made national news, the girl was found innocent… and Weyland was ridiculed by public opinion for years! We're not letting that happen again!"

The younger officer looked at Kira again. "Speaking of 2059… you realize who her _mother_ is, right?"

"Are you suggesting we should suspect her and the other two detainees of the allegations just because her own mother went to court a little over thirty years ago?" the senior officer said.

"No! That's not what I'm..." the younger officer trailed off. "...forget it, let's just get her and the other two outta here."

The officers opened up the door to the interrogation chamber, and Kira looked up at them, anxious about more questioning, or possible consequences if they discovered something. However...

"Young lady..." the superior officer said. "...sorry to take up so much of your time, especially this late at night. You're free to go."

Kira sighed in relief. "Thank you." she said.

Without saying too much more, Kira left the security station along with Sam… and as they were partially expecting, they happened to see Kai leaving at the same time as them. By this time, the light of the morning sun was creeping over the East horizon.

"So, they interrogated you two as well?" Kai asked them after he approached in the parking lot.

"Yeah," Sam answered. "it was _crazy_! I was trying _so fucking hard_ to keep a straight face like I didn't know anything!"

"Look, I'm really sorry that you had to get caught up in all of this, Sam..." Kira said.

Sam sighed. "...Guess that's what happens when you're desperate for a place to stay until you can get back on your feet; really crazy shit happens."

Kai pulled out his phone. "Well, I can call up an _Uber_ so we can head back home… and I just hope Sugarcube and Chase are okay..." he said.

"Same with Aster and Star..." Kira said. "...I told them to run away and hide. I just hope they haven't been caught..."

(XXXX)

A few hours earlier, Aster and Star had been sleeping for a couple of hours… when something happened that forced them to wake up. They began to hear a strange noise. Both of them sitting bolt upright, they heard a very strange growling noise.

They looked near the entrance to the cave to see a large brown bear, hunched over in a threatening manner and growling at them. The two Xenos immediately got to their feet, which made the bear roar at them as it was preparing to rush them.

" _D-Dad… wh-what is that…?_ " Star asked.

" _Just stay right behind me._ " Aster said.

He stood between his daughter and the bear, hissing and flailing his tail, along with sticking out his inner maw in an attempt to intimidate the carnivorous mammal.

Without any prior sign of motion, the bear broke into a sprint, rushing for Aster. The latter was going to try and flip the bear over as it passed so he could have easy access to the opening just below its ribcage to impale it… but he was knocked over as a result. The bear was more massive than any other creature he has ever had to face… save for Meyer's Queen on Mars, where there was lower gravity.

Despite being stunned, Aster managed to roll away from the bear after it stomped on his chest a couple of times. His ribcage hurt a lot now… but he was not going to let the bear hurt Star. Using his heightened agility to counter the bear's slow, clumsy reorientation, he climbed on top of the creature and wrapped his hands around its neck.

The bear thrashed about like crazy to try and throw the Xenomorph Drone off of its back, but Aster had far too strong of a hold. He then brought his face to the bear's skull… and thrust his inner set of jaws through its head. There was a massive spurt of red blood in Aster's face as he killed the bear. The large creature slumped over, and Aster fell off along with the momentum. He laid on the floor as Star quickly rushed over to him.

" _Dad!_ " she said. " _Are you okay!?_ "

Aster made some straining noises as he struggled to sit upright.

" _...I… I think a few of my ribs… are broken..._ " Aster said in a pained way. " _...m-my chest hurts..._ "

" _Here, Dad… I'll help you!_ " Star said, pulling up her father by his arm.

It took a little while for them to get moving, but Star began to walk Aster back in the direction they had originally come, in the hope that they could make it home before the morning light could reveal them.

They passed by a small, isolated house in a very rural region of the area. The two Xenos hoped that they could just walk right past it… but unfortunately, they caught the attention of a dog behind a fenced area, which started barking.

" _Oh, no..._ " Star said, trying to move quickly.

However, the inhabitant of the house, a hermit, happened to spot them. He happened to be the owner of the four acres of land surrounding his house… and he saw Aster and Star, believing that they were just regular people under the cover of darkness.

"YOU SET FOOT ON _MY_ TURF, YOU JUST SIGNED YOUR OWN DEATH WARRANT!" he shouted.

The hermit took aim with his shotgun that he brought, and opened fire. The buckshot scattered around the two Xenos, and that coupled with the loud bang of the gunshot startled them.

This forced Star to carry her father on her back… but given that she had not fully matured, her muscular system was underdeveloped and Aster felt quite heavy to her. Regardless, her adrenaline kept her going, despite the rapid gunshots going off. At a couple of points, Aster grunted. Star assumed that she was not carrying him right, and tried to walk smoother.

Eventually, the two made it away from the mad hermit, and Star eventually let her father start walking again… however, she became horrified at the sight of blood covering practically his entire body.

" _Dad..._ " Star uttered.

Aster could only wheeze to regain his breath; he had been shot numerous times with buckshot. The amount of blood he had lost was already having quite a detrimental effect on his wellbeing in that moment.

" _..._ _S-Star..._ " Aster spoke, softly. " _...I...I c-can't… walk anymore..._ "

True to his word, he could not keep going. His wounds and fractures were festering, and not healing correctly. His acidic blood was still seeping through the openings of his skin, and he was bleeding internally through his broken bones, as well as internal cuts they causes. His strength gave out. He was getting very lightheaded and cold as well. He fell to the ground, too weak to stand back up. Star stopped and knelt next to him.

" _Dad, please..._ " Star said, very concerned. " _...get up! We have to keep going! We have to get home...!_ "

Aster tried to stand, but he could not lift himself on his arms, and he fell back to the ground. He had lost _far_ too much blood.

" _...I... I'm not sure... I can, Star..._ " Aster said.

" _Dad... please don't do this! You have to get up!_ " Star said.

" _...Ahh... Star... l-listen to me..._ " Aster said, taking her hand in his own.

Star was getting extremely uneasy about the situation right now. " _D-Dad... what are you... d-doing...?_ " she asked.

" _...S-Star... my little g-girl..._ " Aster strained. " _...do you... remember how to... g-get back home...?_ "

Star hung her head down, and started sniffling. " _...I-I... I think I d-do... b-but... why do I... h-have to go...? Aren't you... g-gonna come... with m-m-me...?_ "

" _...Star..._ " Aster whispered. " _...promise me... you'll r-remember... who you truly are... and that you... w-will keep... fighting... for your entire life... and d-do... what you believe in. You have to... l-leave me... here... and..._ _find your mother…_ _tell_ _h_ _er... what h-happened..._ "

Star began to cry. " _...D-do I... h-have t-to leave you..._ _D-_ _Daddy...?_ " she said.

Aster, albeit weak, was in immense surprise and bliss that she had just address him as "Daddy"; it has been years since she called him that. Most of the time, she just called him "Dad" or "Pops". It truly meant the world to him that she still cared enough to call him "Daddy".

" _...Star…_ _please save yourself… and r-remember… never… stop… th-the… fight..._ " Aster uttered, his breathing slowing down.

Star sat next to her father, just hoping that she could help to comfort him. There was nothing she knew to do for him. She did not know how to stop bleeding, or made a crude set of crutches. All she could do was watch helplessly, crying as she saw her father suffer and slowly die right in front of her.

It had been quite a long while, Star having blacked out for quite a bit of time before she became re-aware of her surroundings. The stress had gotten to her quite immensely, but she instantly returned her attention to her unconscious father. Only…

...he wasn't unconscious. He didn't even appear to be _breathing_ , much to Star's horror. His brainwaves were absent as well...

" _..._ "

" _...D...Daddy...?_ "

" _..._ "

 **Well… shit. This doesn't look good at all, does it? Wonder how the others are gonna react to this? In any case, thank you all for continuing to follow me despite the updates being far between! I'll get back to this once I'm done with finals in school! Keep holding on...**


	29. Ch 28 - Why Couldn't I Save Him?

**Hey, I'm back! I just had to finish up my final exams in school, so now I am able to get more done with this fic in a shorter period of time! In any case, I hope the last chapter wasn't too disappointing, but if it was, I will try to make up for it.**

Star, completely broken and crying after what had just transpired before her, was rushing to try and make it back home to tell her mother what had happened. Running at this point was absolutely nothing to her, since the only pain was in her heart, and she felt nothing in her legs or lungs.

" _...I… I-I still can't believe this..._ " Star said to herself. "...D-Daddy's… _g… gone…!_ "

Still rushing at top speed and shortening her breath from continuing sobs, she eventually managed to find Kira's isolated house thanks to the familiar layout of the landscape that she had memorized over the few years of her life, even if from a distance.

Every now and then, she had to stop and rest, because she was getting much too tired to keep going in a single run. Whenever she did… she always observed the surrounding animals and other wildlife.

On one instance of a brief rest, a monarch butterfly was flying around nearby, and made its way towards Star. She held up her hand, and the small, fluttery creature took a rest from its flight on it. Star looked very closely at it. It may be a small living being… but she could sense its emotions… its intelligence… how she wished she could have its level of freedom… and beauty.

After a little while, the butterfly took off from Star's hand into the air once again, and she watched as it flew out of sight. Some more flying creatures caught her attention: some birds were flying past… and it looked like some parents helping their young to fly.

Hearing some rustling nearby… Star looked in the direction of the noise to see a mother fox escorting her offspring… and in another direction, she saw a duck walk off dry land into a pond to start swimming… with a group of ducklings following behind.

All of this parental imagery was thoroughly painful to the young female Xenomorph. She could no longer take the suffering. By the time she had arrived back home, she made her way into the house, trying to sense Kira's presence to see if she had managed to make it out yet.

" _M-Mom...?_ " Star called, still in tears.

She began searching the house. There were no lights on, which seemed to indicate that nobody was home... or Kira was back and just sleeping.

" _...Wh-where are you, Mom?_ " Star called again.

She searched the house, starting in her parents' bedroom. Kira was not there. The house seemed deserted.

" _Mom... I-I've got terrible news...!_ " Star said, beginning to cry again. " _...D-Daddy's gone! He's... g-g-gone...! I couldn't s-save him..._ "

With nothing else to do, and with the now-coming feeling that Kira was not coming back, Star laid on her bed in her bedroom, forcing out what little tears she had left as they slowly dripped down her cranial carapace.

She laid sulking, worried that she was now completely orphaned. Her father dead… her mother possibly being locked up… this would _most definitely_ leave her with nothing but her own instincts to survive. But…

...she had absolutely no experience with hunting.

Despair-ridden, hopeless, and depressed, the young Xeno girl ended up losing track of time and falling asleep. She had immensely tired herself out by running a long distance and crying for nearly an hour.

(XXXX)

Kira eventually made it back home after her interrogation. She was worried that Weyland would try to place her under surveillance if they had reasonable suspicion that she was indeed hiding Xenomorphs in her residence… but since they could not connect her to any of the accusations, it was hopefully unlikely.

She made her way up to the house, and after entering, began looking around to see if Aster and Star had made it back yet.

"Aster? Star?" she called, walking into the foyer after closing the door. "Are you two back yet?"

In a moment, Kira began to hear some slow footsteps, and looking upstairs… she saw her daughter, slowly trudging forward with her head hung low.

"Star! You're okay!" Kira said, making her way up the stairs.

Star picked her head up a bit to look at her mother. " _...M-Mom..._ "

Kira's smile faded. "What's wrong? Where's your father?" she asked.

Star began sniffling again… and this made Kira start to fear the worst in a matter of seconds.

" _...He… he d-didn't… make I-i-it..._ " Star stammered.

Tears began to fill Kira's eyes. "N-no… you mean…"

Star began to cry once again, wrapping her arms around Kira. The latter also began to let her tears run down her face as she hugged the young Xeno girl back.

"S-so..." Kira began. "...tell me what h-happened..."

Star began by telling her about hiding in the cave, being attacked by a large, brown-fur-covered creature that Kira was able to deduce was a bear, which injured Aster, followed by her helping him to walk out of the cave, only to get shot by a hermit and severely damage his vital organs along with his fractures. She went on to explain that he knew he was about to die, and bid her his final farewell while she stayed by his side until his soul left his body.

Kira continued to hold her daughter in her arms.

"Star… I'm so sorry..." she said. "...I h-hoped you two would be… a-alright… but..." she trailed off.

" _And_ I'm _sorry, M-Mom… I-I should've… been more careful..._ " Star uttered.

"It's not your fault, sweetie..." Kira said. "...you couldn't have… kn-known..."

She lowered her head as she had to take it all in… the love of her life was now gone… and all she had left was his offspring… who was living proof of their love for each other…

"...C-could I at least… see his b-b-body…?" Kira asked.

Star, slowly and reluctantly, nodded. " _...Y-yes, Mom… I remember wh-where it happened..._ "

Without much delay, Star and Kira set off, in the direction that the former had come back home from… and with the morning light to guide them, Star knew all too well the route back to where Aster had died.

" _S-so… it was right around here..._ " Star said.

She had led Kira to the spot where she had spent a good long time, crying her eyes out next to Aster as he lay dying, coming to terms with his imminent demise. However, there was a bit of a problem. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary… but that was _exactly_ the problem...

...Aster's body was nowhere to be found.

"Star? Are you sure… that this is where… Aster… h-he..." Kira could not bring herself to say it again.

" _He… he was right here! I remember!_ " Star said. " _This is RIGHT where I left him!_ "

"But then… wh-where could he have… b-been moved to…? And… by _who…_?" Kira asked.

" _Wh-what if those bad people… c-c-came and… took Daddy's body…?_ " Star asked.

Kira clenched her teeth nervously. She hoped that he would never end up back with Weyland… even if he was already dead. It would only be better if he were given a proper burial, rather than having his body unwittingly donated for science…

(XXXX)

Sugarcube and Chase had both run off on their own, trying to allude the WY agents that had been dispatched. They did not have a good sense of direction of the surrounding area, given that they never had the opportunity to explore any place.

" _How will we know if Dad is okay?_ " Chase asked.

" _We've just got to pray and hope that he can get himself out… and if I know your father as well as I think… he can do just that!_ " Sugarcube said.

The two Xenos continued to try and keep a low profile while moving to stay in what little darkness there was left, now that the sun was rising on the Eastern horizon. However...

...the two were certain that they were not alone. Both of them could sense some brainwaves… which felt very… _focused_ to the two Xenos…

" _..._ _Mom?_ " Chase asked.

" _Just stay calm, Chase..._ " Sugarcube said. " _...the last thing we want to do is cause a scene and draw atten—AACK!_ "

She stopped speaking as there was a loud crackling sound, and she fell to the ground. A metallic device had appeared, stuck to the side of her ribcage. Chase's heart jumped at the moment it happened.

" _Mom! What happened!? Are you ok—AAAAAY!_ " he stopped speaking abruptly as he felt an immense, painful jolt surge through him, causing him to lose consciousness. He had been stuck by an identical device that had appeared in his mother's side.

It was a Weyland-made electroshock projectile charge… and they happened to be fired off by a WY sniper who happened to be nearby, his team having detected nonhuman bio-signs in the area.

"Delta-Bravo, this is Blaze." the sniper said in his transceiver earpiece. "Confirmation: Niner-niner-five. Xenomorph Drone specimens subdued. Preparing armament and restraints for transporting specimens to secure confinement facility. Over."

" _Copy that. Over._ " the control team commander responded.

With that, the team prepared their rifles and cuffs to put on Sugarcube and Chase, as well as a portable rolling platform that would easily load them into the truck.

"Move in!" the squad leader said. "Assume secondary defense! Do not engage specimens unless they become aggressive!"

"Affirmative!" the subordinate security agents responded.

They had managed to, after a somewhat-complicated process, managed to load Sugarcube and Chase onto the mobile platform, and get them into the armored vehicle… and then they were off to the secure captivity facility in question...

(XXXX)

Meyers and Baldwin were both in hiding once again, now that it was daytime and the two had to remain off and Weyland-Yutani property if they were to avoid being captured again. Needless to say, it was fairly boring having to hide with nothing to do… so Baldwin more or less decided to chat.

"So… you said back in that computer-world that… you were bullied and abused?" Baldwin asked.

Meyers gritted his teeth as his eyes fell to the floor.

"...It was truly the worst point of my life." he began. "My father was a strict disciplinarian… if I did the slightest thing wrong, he would strike me over the head… or pull of his belt and hit me in the thigh… and my mother… she wanted nothing to do with it all, so she got a divorce, and just up and left me behind...

"As for school, it was _horrendous_. The schoolchildren all ganged up on me, and the teachers and other faculty simply told me to 'ignore it' or 'deal with it like a maturing young man'… what was I supposed to do!? They twisted my name around and called me things like 'Huge My-ass'!"

At that moment, there was a WY security truck passing by, forcing the two to duck. They hoped they would not be spotted… and fortunately for them, luck was on their side. But… something about the vehicle piqued the interest of one from the pair...

"Well now..." Meyers spoke, looking at the armored truck. "...it would seem that they have caught some specimens!"

Baldwin raised a brow. "How can you tell...?"

"The constant blue light on the emergency lighting; it means there is a specimen on board the transport." Meyers said. "Typically, that information is confidential… but I have nothing to lose by revealing it to you!"

"So… does that mean… that actually _caught_ those oversized space-bugs?" Baldwin said.

Meyers nodded. "Indeed they have! Our report worked! And now… we simply have to wait for the right moment to get back at those two brats who ruined my chances at having this world all to myself!"

(XXXX)

With no signs of Aster after extensive investigating, Kira and Star both decided to start heading back home. They were both still immensely distraught and grieving over their loss. The corrosion of the soil from his acidic blood was in the same spot, from what they found… but there was no sign of a struggle, let alone any movement. There were no drag marks in the ground.

It seemed that Aster had disappeared without a trace following his death… but how, the two could not say.

Regardless, all they could do was head home and work out a plan to stop Meyers and Baldwin from causing any more harm. Just when Star thought that her emotions had been spent… something ended up happening that forced her back into a state of turmoil once more…

 _...Star…_

 _...Star… please…_

 _...help me, Star…_

Star stood more upright, having been slouching over in a depressed state while walking, as she knew that voice all too well…

...it was Chase. He had awoken from his short period of unconsciousness, and was calling out to her.

" _Mom..._ " Star spoke.

Kira looked up. "Yes?" she responded, silently.

" _...Chase is in danger!_ " Star said.

"What?" Kira asked. "What are you talking about?"

" _I hear him calling me… he needs my help!_ " Star said, suddenly able to feel the direction from which Chase's telepathy was coming from. " _I have to help him!_ "

With that, Star took off in a direction away from the house, right as they were about to make their way across the final small valley to it. Kira tried to stop her.

"Star, no!" she called. "Come back! I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU TOO!"

It was no use; Star had already gone far beyond earshot. For a young Xenomorph Drone her age… she was really fast. Kira was left sulking, mainly due to Aster being gone… and her worrying that Star could end up meeting the same fate.

All she could do was pray that Star would be alright… and that she knew what she was doing…

 **Well, things are getting pretty bad, it seems! We'd better hope Star can finally get her chance to shine as a hero! If things don't go as planned… she could meet with a terrible fate… but I can't give out spoilers! So, let's just all wait for the next chapter to see what comes of this. Keep holding on...**


	30. Ch 29 - Desperate Rescue

**Well… it comes time to pick up where we left off, where a little Star gets her chance to dazzle everyone around her! ...In a manner that might leave them injured and/or disfigured. Oh well! Hope you all like the new chapter!**

Star continued to run for a long while, this time having the resolve to go nonstop. She eventually made it to a large complex of gray stone. There were many men wearing full body-armor and brandishing assault rifles outside of the building. There were some armored trucks and Jeeps driving around as well. The entire perimeter of the building was surrounded by a chainlink fence with a barbed-wire coil at the top.

She knew that Chase was inside of this place. His distinct brainwaves were emanating from deep within, possibly in the basement portion of the building.

" _I have to do this..._ " Star said to herself. " _...from what Daddy always said… if those bad men caught Chase and Sugarcube… there's no telling what could happen if I don't go in and rescue them!_ "

The young female Xeno, knowing how close of a friend Chase was to her, was absolutely more than willing to risk any-and-all to save him and his mother. Plus… she really viewed him as _more_ than just a friend…

...she was not exactly sure what this feeling was, since she only had it around Chase… but it gave her all the greater will to do what she was about to do. She was going to get inside of that building, and get her friends out. Not only that, but… she was absolutely willing to slaughter any human that stood in her way. _That_ was how much Chase meant to her.

Readying herself, the female Drone hopped the fence in a spot where it would be difficult for the guards to notice, and from there, she assumed a starting stance to run, following by taking a deep breath to ready her nerves...

" _..._ _For you, Daddy._ " Star said.

 **("My Immortal" by _Evanescence_ begins)**

Star began to run straight for the entrance to the WY complex, rushing stealthily under the cover of partial darkness at the first group of guards she saw. Before they even had a chance to react upon glancing at her coming, they were all brutally maimed. Star had impaled the first one with her tail, and slit the throats of the remaining two with her claws, causing them to drop their rifles and bring their hands up to their severely-bleeding necks.

With that, Star continued to rush into the entrance area around the front of the building. She showed absolutely no remorse for killing anyone who was willing to harm her or her friends and family. After all, killing was practically in her blood.

 **I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears  
And if you have to leave  
I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone**

Some of the guards happened to catch sight of Star, and began to open fire at the Xenomorph. Bullets hailed the area around her… but luckily, she was not being hit thanks to her natural speed.

The guards simply resumed firing, disregarding the fact that she was in front of the door to the building. A few stray bullets ended up hitting the panel next to the door, causing the safety-spring mechanism to open the sliding door with the electricity being cut off from the broken panel.

Star took this chance and rushed through the opening while crouching and swaying to avoid the gunfire behind her. ****

 **These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that**

 **Time cannot erase**

The guards all quickly tried to rush inside of the building, some of the ones who were already inside were not aware of Star until they either saw her, or until after they heard the transmission made by others already aware of the situation.

"Emergency! Code-17!" one guard said over his transceiver. "Extraterrestrial specimen is loose in facility! Go into lockdown mode immediately!" ****

 **When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have all of me**

Star had managed to find a stretch of hallways that appeared to be abandoned for the most part… but the red emergency lighting flashing throughout the building told her that they must be hiding in the rooms for lockdown, as indicated by the stressed brainwaves she felt.

They were of no concern to her. Right now, all she wanted was to get Chase to safety. The guards were coming up from behind, yet they were far away. They opened fire on her… yet the distance made it less effective for hitting her. ****

 **You used to captivate me by your resonating light  
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind  
Your face, it haunts my once pleasant dreams  
Your voice, it chased away all the sanity in me**

Star had made it to an engineer testing part of the building, with various devices that were in operation. Some armed guards were inside of the area, and all tried to open fire at the female Xeno. She was, however, quick to react by slicing their throats, impaling them, spraying her acidic blood at them, and, in one case, pinning one to the floor and thrusting her inner maw through his cranium.

She figured that all of this death would help to avenge her father, who had endured torture and suffering at the hands of these people nearly his entire life.

When it came to avoiding the rest of the WY guards… Star had to get creative. She used the machinery around her to her advantage. There were some moving mechanisms that transported her to an area she needed to get to by hanging onto them, some blocking bullets, and some injuring the guards as they tried to navigate around them to get a clear shot at Star. ****

 **These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that**

 **Time cannot erase**

" _Just hold on, Chase… I'm coming!_ " Star said, hoping that her telepathy could reach him.

She was not, however, focused enough for long-range communication, so she was unsure if it got through. Regardless, she was going to keep going, now that she had gotten this far.

It was really nothing more than using her precognition to dodge the bullets, and using her telepathy to sense any humans that were encroaching on her location. Being a Xenomorph, she had the advantage, even if she was outnumbered. ****

 **When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have all of me**

Eventually, Star rushed through a long stretch of hallway occupied by various security measures, such as automated guns mounted on the ceiling and walls, electrified tripwires, sedation darts, and manganese-steel blades that covered the entire width of the hall, emerging from the walls, ceiling, and floor.

These were all security measures implemented by Weyland-Yutani that would only activate in an extreme emergency, since they knew it was better for a specimen to be killed rather than escape. However… such the scenario was quite the opposite of what was happening right now.

At the end of the stretch, Star was met with a series of wall-, ceiling-, and floor-mounted lasers, all of them moving in such a way that it would be very tricky, but not impossible, to get through. She took this chance… especially now that the guards spotted her again and started hailing her with bullets again. ****

 **I've tried so hard to tell**

 **Myself that you're gone  
But though you're still with me  
I've been alone all along**

Star began to leap through the wireframe of lasers as they slowly moved, narrowly missing a lot of times. She jumped, slid, and spun in a complex, but rapid, manner to get through unharmed, but she was able to evade amputation and bullet injury and succeed.

Once she made it to the next room, Star could feel Chase's brainwaves much more clearly than ever. This had to be the wing that he was in. Hopefully, Sugarcube was around as well. The guards behind her were stalled by the security system, which they hastily began trying to deactivate. ****

 **When you cried, I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream, I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand through all of these years  
But you still have all of me  
All of me... me... me...**

Star had indeed made it. Right behind the door she was standing in front of… were where Chase's brainwaves were centering. She pressed the single button on the touchscreen panel next to the door, prompting it to open.

Once she rushed inside, Star saw Chase, who was laying on the floor of the cell, sleeping. However, upon hearing the door open, he slowly began to wake up. Once he saw that the one who opened his cell was not a human, but a Xeno girl he knew all too well… that's when he felt the ultimate sense of relief, and bliss.

" _...S-Star…!_ " He uttered.

" _Chase...!_ " Star responded, rushing over to him.

When the two collided with each other, they both held each other in a deep hug. Their heads were pressed against each other, angled downward.

" _Star…_ _I can't believe you actually made it..._ " Chase said, refusing to let go of his crush.

" _..._ _Oh, Chase..._ " Star said, crooning softly in his embrace. " _...I was so worried..._ "

They continued to hold each other… possibly for a little while too long. However, Star knew the urgency of the situation, and realized that it was best if they got out ASAP.

" _...So, where's your mom?_ " Star asked after separating from her friend's hug.

" _She's in the cell right next to this one._ " Chase said. " _Let's get her out of here too!_ "

With that, the two quickly proceeded over to the next cell. Yet little did they know… they were being watched. And not by any humans, either.

Having escaped from their captors amid the chaos, a Drone, a Warrior, a Boiler, and a Praetorian Xenomorph, all forming a singular unit, had heard of the breach from the guards on their radios just before they left the ones escorting the Xenomorphs to their holding cells… and they realized that it was the young female one who did it.

She had actually managed to survive everything that no other previous escapee specimen was ever able to do. They were all impressed.

" _Brothers..._ " the Praetorian said. " _...I think we may have just found one._ "

(XXXX)

"I'm telling you, she just took off running to find them!" Kira told Kai.

"Look, if what you're saying is true… then it would mean Sugarcube and Chase were taken by Weyland!" Kai said, immensely worried.

Kira pondered for a moment. "...Then I guess we have no other choice. We need to find them!"

"Yeah..." Kai said, biting his thumb-nail. "...but _where_?"

Kira had to think about this. How were they going to find where Sugarcube and Chase got taken to? It was probably going to be like trying to find a diamond among ice cubes; Weyland was good at concealing their buildings to look like regular ones, but by the time the possible incident would make the news, it would be too late.

"Wait! I think… I think we could locate them with telepathy!" Kira said.

Kai raised a brow. "...You sure about that?"

Kira sighed. "...Right now, I want to do _anything_ to have my daughter back safely… especially… a-after..."

"After what?" Kai asked after she had trailed off.

"...I'll tell you later..." Kira said, saddened by the sudden recollection.

"Okay..." Kai said. "...I guess you could do the focusing… and just tell me where to drive."

"...Alright." Kira said.

With that, the two quickly got into Kai's car, and the pair drove off to the building. They would need to observe from a distance before making the move to go inside… but from what it seemed, Kira was able to feel which direction Star's unique brainwaves were emanating from…

 **Well, Star's quite the tough girl, isn't she? Yeah, I decided to make this another songfic. What can I say? I'm just a sucker for Evanescence, and I think their music fits these types of scenes perfectly! (Especially the guitar solo bridge in the song; I could imagine a slow-mo scene of Star leaping through the lasers and bullets to that part!)**

 **So, thanks for continuing to follow the story! I'll return with more chapters in the future! Keep holding on...**


	31. Ch 30 - Trust Family or Species?

**Yeah, I meant to work on this chapter a lot sooner… however, I've been away on an out-of-state trip with the family, and have had very little time to focus on the story without giving myself away to them. In any case, I wrote this up on my laptop while they were asleep. So, hope you all like it!**

The Weyland team was unable to override the security system, and simply decided to wait out the situation, as there was no way for the Xenomorphs to make a practical getaway without being either killed or captured.

Star and Chase had both freed Sugarcube from her cell, and then they started trying to figure out how to get out of the situation they were in. There was no way they were going to be able to make it out without the WY security teams recapturing or even killing them on sight. Plus, the autonomous security system was too dangerous to try and go back through.

" _How are we supposed to get out of this now?_ " Chase asked.

" _I have no idea..._ " Star said. " _...but we need to see if we could find any unorthodox routes to escape, like an air duct or something. No way are we gonna be able to get through that security system without one of us getting hurt._ "

" _Yeah, I might still be young… but I'm not perfect._ " Sugarcube said.

All of them were using their heightened senses to try and search for a feasible escape route… but they could not find anything from their current location in the complex.

" _Let's split up. We can cover more the premises, and call out to each other if we find something._ " Star suggested.

" _Fair enough._ " Chase said. " _Just… please be careful, Star… I wouldn't want to lose you to the bad people!_ "

" _Hey, let's not forget I'm the tough girl who actually got_ inside _the place!_ " Star said.

With that, the three Xenomorphs began to cautiously patrol the building, being careful to evade or even disable any security sensors they came across. Since WY agents would be stationed at every major entrance/exit to the building, they needed to figure out a better way to get out.

Star was making her way through a fairly deserted part of the facility filled with large turbine machines making a loud hum that filled the chamber… but little did she know, she was being watched.

The Drone, Warrior, Boiler, and Praetorian who had been watching her make her way into the laboratory, evading any mechanism that would have otherwise inhibited her, had stalked Star around, following and waiting for a good moment to reveal themselves. As a matter of fact, the lack of other brainwaves in the locality meant that it _was_ the perfect moment…

As Star was about to reach the edge of the room in order to head into the next in search of a way out… she began to sense some movement behind herself. Turning back around, she saw four beings, all of various size, approaching her.

" _Eep!_ " Star yelped, making an actual startled noise simultaneously with her telepathy. " _Wh-who are you…!?_ "

" _Calm yourself, child… we do not seek to harm you._ " the Xenomorph Praetorian, who appeared to be the leader of the small group, spoke.

" _We simply wish to… have you help out with our cause._ " the Warrior said.

Star was still a bit nervous as the four escapee specimens surrounded her. " _What… are you l-looking at…?_ "

" _Your form… your female anatomy… you are PERFECT for what we need!_ " the Boiler said.

The young female Drone was unsure what to make of the situation.

" _Allow us to explain..._ " the male Drone said. " _...my brothers and I… we want to get out of this place, but… we do not know how to adapt on our own. All we can go off of… is our primal instinct. In order to counter this dilemma… we are in search of a Queen who can guarantee our survival in this… unknown world. Given that we were lucky enough to encounter you, who is already female, you may just be able to fulfill that need of ours!_ "

" _A Queen? So..._ " Star briefly trailed off, getting extremely uneasy. " _...you want to… mate… with me…? Have me carry your offspring…?_ "

" _No, no, no..._ " The Drone said. " _...nothing like that. In fact, my hive-brothers and I are sterile and unable to reproduce._ "

" _S-so then… what do you have in mind…?_ " Star asked.

The Praetorian stood more upright, assuming a formal stance.

" _What we request of you, young child..._ " he spoke. " _...is to submit yourself to a process that will convert your body to that of a Queen's. It will be slow, and it will be intense… but you will be in a state of hibernation during all of it, and you will remember none of it when it is over. Rest assured, everything will be alright. There is no need to be worried. We are trying to help you become what you truly are meant to be._ "

Despite their reassurance… Star was still sulking a bit.

" _And we can tell, from your stressed brainwaves… something is troubling you, isn't it?_ " the Warrior asked.

" _...I…_ _I-I…_ " Star stammered. " _...I lost… m-my Daddy..._ "

" _So…_ _your father has recently passed?_ " the Praetorian asked, sincere empathy in his telepathic voice. " _You poor child… I offer my deepest condolences._ "

" _But…_ _how can you have a father? Only a Queen can spawn facehuggers._ " the Drone asked.

" _...W-well… my Daddy… was a Xenomorph… like m-me… and my mother… is a human..._ " Star explained.

This puzzled the other Xenomorphs.

" _Your mother… was able to withstand the otherwise fatal birthing of you as a larva?_ " The Praetorian asked.

" _No... It's not like that..._ " Star said. " _...I wasn't born like a natural Xenomorph… I was born… like a human, from how Mom described..._ "

" _I see..._ " the Drone said. " _...and how exactly did your father die, if you'll pardon the boldness of my question?_ "

" _He was killed… b-by creatures… from this w-w-world..._ " Star choked.

" _You see?_ " The Boiler spoke. " _This world… it is populated only by beings who cannot be trusted, no matter what!_ "

" _Who's to say your human mother hadn't been planning on delivering the killing blow to him herself… and do the same for you?_ " The Warrior said.

Star froze in shock at the statement… but it got her to wondering. What if Kira had indeed been keeping them isolated so she could have the satisfaction of letting their guard down so she could effortlessly take their lives?

" _You mean… m-my mother… was trying to trick me and Daddy?_ " she asked.

" _That could very well be._ " the Praetorian said. " _We all can confirm that humans especially should never be trusted! They have been known to lie and backstab each other… constantly!_ "

" _So then… you'll help me?_ " Star asked.

" _Precisely._ " the Praetorian, just before turning to head down what appeared to be a hidden passageway from where he and the three other Xenomorphs had come from. " _Now, follow us to the control chamber we must get you to. The emergency systems have unlocked it for us._ "

He led his group and Star to a large, environmentally-sealed chamber with an anti-dust airdoor. There was nothing except for what appeared to be a sort of basin, about a meter in height, in the center of the room. Inside was a thick, gelatinous, white fluid. Star peered into it with curiosity.

" _What is this?_ " she asked.

" _This, my dear… is genuine royal jelly, produced by the very Queen who spawned the facehuggers that gave all four of us life._ " the Praetorian said.

" _The bad people have tried to run tests on it in an attempt to recreate it from scratch..._ " the Drone said.

" _...but they have been largely unsuccessful._ " the Warrior said.

" _It's proteins are too complex to be easily replicated with their mere_ machines _..._ " the Boiler said.

Star tried to take everything in at once; only mere hours ago, she had only instinctual knowledge of her species. Now, everything had happened so fast, and it was all too quick for her to fully grasp in that moment. She was now being presented with a substance that would metamorphose her into an actual _Queen_!

" _Now, my dear… are you ready to drink up and coronate yourself?_ " the Praetorian asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

" _...Wait. Wait._ " Star said, looking back at the other Xenos. " _How do I know_ you're _not lying to me?_ "

The others tilted their heads in confusion at the female.

" _Why would we do that?_ " the Drone asked.

" _We don't even know who you are!_ " the Warrior said.

" _But what we_ can _tell about you is that you're special!_ " the Boiler added.

The Praetorian stepped in, turning her around, and placing both of his hands on her shoulders, kneeling down to be at her level.

" _Listen… we only wish to do what is best for our species. We do not like seeing our kind suffer. We are doing all we can to make this insanity stop… but you must be brave enough to take that first step for us. If we try to do it… it could go horribly wrong, with us having been modified in such a way that our metamorphosis to a Queen would be highly unstable, as opposed to you, who is already female._ " he said.

Star hung her head down after the Praetorian let go of her, and she turned back to face the basin. Maybe they did have a point; what would they have to gain from lying to her about such a promise of becoming something other Xenomorphs would give their lives to become themselves?

They were, after all, the same species as she was. Would it make more sense that they would see the true nature of humans, having lived longer than she had? She knew that she had to make a choice that would ultimately be for the better… and from the recent turn of events… after what happened when her mother had left briefly, only to return with trouble… it was pretty clear what had to be done, in the eyes of the young female Drone.

Star, having absently stared at the basin, slowly leaned her head down, stuck out her secondary mouth, and began to down the royal jelly. It was gelatinous, obviously, but it also had a very sweet, pleasant flavor to it. Utterly hypnotized by her taste buds, she continued to drink the thick fluid, until she felt like she had enough.

Once she finished, Star stood upright, turning to face a very impressed quartet of Xenomorphs. All of them did not think she would take it so willingly.

" _You have done well, child._ " the Praetorian said, taking her by the arm gently. " _Now, we will take you to the place you will need to be for the process to begin in a proper, safe manner..._ "

With that, he led Star to a new room, this time one with a structure of resin akin to the kind that Xenos were capable of producing on their own… yet there were devices and wires stuck in numerous places all across it. Not only that, but the resin structure itself was symmetrical; mirrored right down the middle in an unnatural way.

" _You will remain in that_ _polymerizing_ _environment_ _until the process is complete. Don't worry; it will shape itself to accommodate your change in shape._ _You will be quite comfortable in there._ " the Praetorian said.

Once Star laid on a roundish part of the structure that had a diameter slightly larger than her height, the numerous wireless devices stuck into the organic resin had LED lights flash briefly just before the resin itself molded to the shape of Star's body. It felt just about as good as her bed… perhaps even better.

While Star remained laying, the other Xenos quietly left the room. The Praetorian stayed behind briefly, gently rubbing his hand across her smooth head.

" _Rest well, my dear… you shall awaken as a stronger, better being. Your vast potential shall finally be tapped into._ " the Praetorian said.

With that, he left the room, and all four of the escapee Xeno specimens conjured a wall of resin from their gizzards, sealing off the chamber from outsiders, and leaving Star on her own, in a jet-black, silent environment. It was just what she needed to feel the effects of the royal jelly.

She felt the jelly churning in her stomach, producing a fairly warm, pleasant sensation of motion inside of her, as well as a series of gurgling and moaning noises. A subtle, but bizarre, tingling began in her belly, and spread throughout her body to the very tips of her fingers and toes. It spread through her head as well, going through to the back tip of her cranium, and spreading to the contact points on her lips...

"...Ah..." Star said, her vision blurring and fading. "...I-I... I feel... I... f-feel... s... s-sleepy..."

Unable to hold her gaze any longer, Star fell unconscious as a result of sedation… from what she had recently ingested.

Though she was still alive, her breath and heartbeat present, the royal jelly had put the young female Drone into a very deep sleep…

(XXXX)

Outside of the environment chamber where Star was in her hibernation, the other Xenomorphs were silently snickering. Their plan had actually worked! And it was far smoother than they had anticipated!

" _Within mere months, brothers..._ " the Praetorian said. " _...we will have ourselves a new Queen! And we can form our own hive_ _to take as our own_ _!_ "

 **Well, things just took a bad twist, huh? Wonder what this could be all about… and what could be in store for our little shining Star? Anyway, thanks for continuing to follow the story! I'll be back real soon! Keep holding on...**


	32. Ch 31 - The Spiteful Ones

**Okay, I'm back! And now we're gonna see exactly how this rescue can play out! Let's hope that Kira and Kai know what they are doing!**

Kira and Kai made it to the Weyland complex where Star ran to try and rescue Chase and Sugarcube. Kai pulled over some distance away so as not to draw attention, and the two stealthily made their way to the building.

"Okay, so... how are we gonna get in?" Kira asked.

"We'll see if there's an area that's being unpatrolled, and we'll see if we can get in through a ventilation duct or something." Kai said.

The two got closer... only to find that most of the security appeared to have gone _inside_ the actual building.

"You think they know about Star already?" Kira asked.

Kai peered into the distance at the WY vehicles with the few, frantically-transmitting officers.

"...I think so. And from the look of it, they have their attention mainly on the primary entrance of the building. Maybe they have a certain area of the place contained." Kai said.

"So..." Kira began. "...how are we gonna get inside?"

Kai looked around, and saw a ladder on the side of the complex. He beckoned Kira to follow him quickly, so as to avoid being caught by the Weyland security operatives. They climbed up the three-story ladder to the roof, completely in the blind spot of the security squad.

"Okay... now to find a feasible entry point." Kai said.

Right after he said this... he happened to spot a series of ducts on the roof. One was expelling steam (or some kind of white gas) into the air, and had the word "OUT" painted on the side. Right next to it, in an L-bend away from the OUT-duct, was another duct that had nothing coming out, but was marked with "IN".

"It's an input vent!" Kai said. "Must be for channeling fresh air into the building and cooling tower. We'll get in through there!"

"Okay." Kira said.

Kai picked up a long steel chain that was sitting next to the duct, and tied it in a double-knot to a tall antenna tower that was also on top of the building. He tossed the chain into the duct... and after it fell for a moment, came the sound of a bang from within, followed by a faint hum they heard drop in pitch and volume.

"...There goes the intake fan." Kai said. "But at least we can pass through without it slicing us up!"

The two heroes rappelled their way down into the dark air duct, Kai leading the way down. They passed the broken fan with the chain tangled around the center, its eight long steel blades looking menacing in the dim light. Right here, it was safe for them to just drop down, since the fan was only five feet above the vent's bottom.

Once they had descended presumably three stories, as indicated from the height of their descent, they saw, at the other end of the L-bend at the bottom, was a wide vent cover. They made their way over to it, and Kai kicked it out of its frame (granted it took several attempts with it being screwed into the wall). With that, they made the short drop into a hallway lined with several doors to the laboratories.

"Okay... now we need to find out where Star went!" Kira said.

"Hopefully, if we find her, we'll also find Chase and Sugarcube!" Kai said.

"So let's go!" Kira said.

The two then rushed in the direction that, from what they could tell, went for the back of the facility, since that is where Kira felt Star's brainwaves emanating from... yet they felt strangely faint and more distant to Kira than they had been earlier...

(XXXX)

Chase and Sugarcube were both frantically searching for a way out of the building. There was no way they could get through the security system that Star had tripped.

" _What are we supposed to do?_ " Chase asked his mother. " _There's no way out of here!_ "

" _We'll think of something, sweetheart._ " Sugarcube said. " _I'm sure that we can... wait..._ "

She trailed off as she slowly brought her hands up towards her head, which she angled downward, and touched the tips of her index fingers to her temples.

" _What? What is it, Mom?_ " Chase asked.

Sugarcube brought her hands down, and lifted her head, her mouth hanging agape.

" _...Kai's here! I can sense his brainwaves!_ " Sugarcube said.

" _Are you sure?_ " Chase asked.

" _Absolutely._ " Sugarcube said. " _I've known your father long enough to identify his brain patterns._ "

The two Xenos began to head in the direction of where the neural signals were emanating from. Given how close they felt, Sugarcube assumed that they were likely on the same side of the security divider as them…

(XXXX)

Kira and Kai both ventured deeper into the complex, the latter leading the way with his handgun pointed in front of himself. They were making their way through several engineering bays and laboratories, Kira barely able to pinpoint Star's position due to her weak brainwaves.

"Ngh… I really hope she wasn't knocked out by a security operative or something..." Kira said.

"Can't be much farther, though..." Kai said.

Eventually, they reached a high-security wing with several controlled-environment chambers. They appeared to be using these special labs for experimenting with biological tissue of Xenomorphs and other extraterrestrials. After a bit of searching and sifting… they eventually came to a chamber where they were experimenting with pressure-sensors that allow the shaping of Xenomorph capture resin. Resting on the top of it, with the resin shaped to its body… was a lone female Xenomorph.

"Star!" Kira said, relieved to see her daughter.

She immediately rushed over to see if she was alright, Kai following behind her.

"Star?" Kira asked, nudging the female Drone's shoulder. "Star? Can you hear me?"

Star did not stir. She was breathing just fine, albeit slowly. Kira, however, was not able to figure out why Star was not waking up, no matter what she did. She started tapping her on the head, torso, and feet. No form of awakening yielded the intended effect.

"Kai… what's wrong with Star?" Kira asked.

"I'm not sure..." Kai said, stepping forward and beginning to touch and prod Star in a similar fashion to a medical examination. "...I've never seen anything like this happen before… except..."

Kira's eyes lit up. "Except what?" she asked.

Just as Kai was getting ready to answer… the sound of chuckling could be heard. What was even more strange was that it was _telepathic_. It was human voices in their head… but bizarre hissing from some direction in the real world.

Kira and Kai both looked in the direction where they could sense the presence from, and happened to spot four Xenomorphs, all of a different caste, entering the chamber.

" _Well, what have we got here?_ " the Praetorian said.

" _Some nice, young humans..._ " the Drone said.

" _...Fresh meat that has wandered onto our domain..._ " the Warrior said.

" _...and we won't let them have their way with our future Queen!_ " the Boiler said.

Kai reached behind his back, going for his handgun but not pulling it out yet, as the Xenos approached.

"Who are you all?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

" _We know that humans are cruel, horrible beings who enjoy the suffering of our kind!_ " the Praetorian said.

"What?" Kira asked.

" _Don't act ignorant!_ " the Warrior said. " _You have done more than enough damage to the existence of our species!_ "

"No… you've got it all wrong!" Kira said. "The people who experimented on you are the ones who don't like you! _We_ , however, actually care about Xenos that are emotional, like us! The feral ones, however..."

" _You lie!_ " the Drone said.

"And what did you do to my daughter!?" Kira shouted. "Why isn't she waking up!?"

"You'd better have a way to wake her, or else!" Kai threatened.

" _It's too late!_ " the Warrior said. " _Your daughter has consumed the royal jelly, and has already slipped into the Transformation Sleep... and during the months in her hibernation, slowly metabolizing the potent jelly, she shall undergo a spectacular metamorphosis, and awaken... as a Queen!_ "

" _She shall be without her memories! And she will act on pure, primordial instinct!_ " the Praetorian said.

"What?" Kai asked, surprised.

"No…!" Kira uttered, looking back at the unconscious Star.

" _And now… it is time for you to pay the price for what you have done to our species!_ " the Praetorian said. " _Have at them, brothers!_ "

Just as the Drone, Warrior, and Boiler began to hiss and get into a crouching position to pounce the two humans, Kai whipped out his suppressed handgun. He leveled the weapon on all of the Xenos, giving them a cold, stoic glare.

"Stand down..." he said, firmly.

" _You fool..._ " the Boiler said. " _...you try to challenge a pack of Xenomorphs?_ "

Angered by this smart remark, Kai fired at the boiler, hitting it on the left side of the chest. This caused a massive explosion of acidic blood, which Kai and Kira, thanks to their enhanced movement and senses, were able to quickly move out of range of before it could land on them. For good measure, he put a couple of rounds in the legs and lower torso of the Drone and Warrior as well.

The Warrior's blood spewed out of the wound like a garden hose, dissolving the floor of the control chamber, up to the point where the loss of blood caused the Xeno to collapse on the floor. The Drone simply clutched its wound, which was not as bad as the other two, but was still spilling quite a lot of blood.

The Praetorian let out a wrathful shriek, forcing Kai and Kira to cover their ears.

" _WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? YOU'VE MURDERED MY BROTHERS! YOU_ MONSTERS _!_ " the Praetorian shouted.

Kira pulled out her own handgun, which she happened to bring with her after Star ran off, immediately discharging two bullets at the Praetorian. They hit him in the head. He clutched the wounds as blood poured out, and stumbled around due to loss of balance.

"That's what you get for trying to take my daughter away from me!" Kira shouted.

The Drone briefly tried to ignore its injury and make an attempt to rush for the pair of them… but Kai finished him off with multiple shots to the head. The only Xeno specimen that was left alive was the injured Praetorian.

" _..._ _Y-you..._ " he said, injured but fierce. " _...you have… ruined… EVERYTHING…!_ "

Kai shrugged. "Hey, if you try to get your revenge on people this way… I'd say you had it coming. Punish the offenders, not the associates!"

" _...W-well..._ " the Praetorian struggled to speak, falling to his knees. "...soon… _your daughter… will become… o-our… s… s-savior… and… av… enger..._ "

After several more hoarse breaths… the Praetorian collapsed as his breathing stopped. Kira was still in utter shock at what had happened in those few moments. It felt like something that was beyond her comprehension, when just a few years ago… it would have seemed more probable to her.

"Well… I always thought that every genetically-engineered Xenos that had the mental capacity of a human would be kind… no matter what..." Kira said. "...but… I guess I was wrong..."

"There's always gonna be the odd ones out. The spiteful ones who hate humans, period." Kai said.

With that, the two turned their attention back to the hibernating Star.

"So… what should we do, now that we know she's drank… royal jelly?" Kira asked.

"We have to pump her stomach!" Kai said. "It's the only way to stop her metabolizing the royal jelly!"

(XXXX)

Chase and Sugarcube were making their way through a series of doors, having some difficulty navigating the area, and even opening some of the doors, as they all had a different type of electronic lock mechanism.

" _How much farther are they?_ " Chase asked.

" _Not far..._ " Sugarcube said, focusing her telepathic senses. " _...let's keep moving, and hope that the security teams don't close in on us!_ "

(XXXX)

After a quick search, Kai found a gastric lavage pump and wheeled it back to the control chamber where Star and Kira were. It looked like one that was designed for human use, but right now, they had no other alternative. Without delay, Kira held Star's head backward while Kai fed the tube down the latter's throat via her inner mouth.

Once it was at the estimate length that Kai had marked on it, they activated the machine, which began to suck out Star's stomach contents. With some minor convulsing in the female Drone's abdominal region, a thick, white fluid began to move up the tube. It continued for a while, up until the tube began to leak near Star's mouth as the fluid became clear; it was now suctioning straight stomach acid, no longer diluted by the jelly.

"Okay, I think that should do it." Kai said, switching off the machine.

He carefully removed the now-damaged tube from Star's throat. Large holes filled it, and some pieces were probably in her stomach now, but the new gastric acid would dissolve what was left of it.

"Will she be alright?" Kira asked.

"She should be up in a little while..." Kai said. "...but in the meantime, we need to keep the WY security force off our backs!"

The two peered into the main hallway to see that the squad has not engaged yet. Still, they needed a way to know what they were up to until Star would awaken.

"I'll see if there's a WY scanner transceiver around here. It'll let us pick up on their conversation over their radio." Kai said.

While Kira stayed behind, gun drawn and standing between Star and the door, Kai went off into the complex to find what he described. He was hoping to get every bit of help they could get with the resources available… but it was about to be better than he was hoping…

" _Kai! You've come!_ " came the voice of Sugarcube.

Kai, sensing a presence behind him, turned to see his all-too-familiar family. His eyes went wide and his jaw agape at the sight of them, and then his eyes filled with tears as a smile appeared on his face. He was so relieved that they were unharmed.

"Sugar… Chase… you're both okay!" he said.

 **Well, managed to get out another chapter! Don't really have much else to say, other than… keep holding on...**


	33. Ch 32 - Shattered Hope

**After yet another sift through the shit that life throws at me, from the ashes comes a brand-new chapter! I hope you all like it!**

"Seriously... how long do we have to wait out here?" Baldwin asked.

"Again, _patience_..." Meyers said. "...Rome wasn't built in a day. And when you've escaped from prison, you need to learn how to be patient to get help!"

Soon enough, the door to the small building they were waiting outside of, in the alleyway, opened, and a woman wearing a business blazer and skirt, along with high heels, stepped out.

"So..." Meyers said. "...how did it go?"

"All went well. I have managed to pull a few strings and have the system prepared for the CEO's unveiling of WY OS-Omicron." the woman spoke in a German accent.

"You managed to upload the execution code I wrote in place of the one that will transmit OS-Omicron worldwide?" Meyers asked.

The woman nodded. "Indeed."

Meyers nodded approving.

"Well done, Margret." he said. "Once all this is over, I'll be sure to let you stay in the Weyland presidential bunker with us, and all the accommodations we'll need! Free from the filth and vermin that still live on this world today... but will not see the light of day again soon! Now that Ms. Sykes and Mr. Ripley have lost their abominable companions to the authorities... there's nothing that they can do to interfere!"

Margret smirked in a satisfied manner as she was stepping back inside.

"I'll be sure to rendezvous with you later, after my shift." she said. "There is something else I would like to show you as well, that will only make your victory even _more_ decisive!"

She went back inside, closing the door behind her.

(XXXX)

" _...Uh...Unnnggghhh..._ " Star moaned, slowly beginning to regain her senses.

"Star?" Kira asked. "Star, are you okay?"

" _...A-ah... Mom...? What... happened...?_ " Star asked, rubbing her head.

"Some corrupt, vengeful Xenos tricked you into consuming royal jelly, which put you into a hibernation state. We killed the Xenos and pumped your stomach, though." Kai answered.

Star was trying to recollect what happened... and very slowly, it all came back to her. She managed to overcome her post-sleep drowsiness and sit upright, slouching over in shame.

" _Mom... Kai... I'm so sorry..._ " she said.

Kira placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"It's okay, Star." she said. "We're gonna get out of here now."

Star buried her "face" into her hands.

" _But still... what is there for you and me now? Now that... D-Daddy's...!_ " the young Xeno girl trailed off.

Kira was struck by a pang of sorrow once more... hearing Star call Aster by "Daddy" was something that really brought tears to her eyes... especially since Star had not called him that since she was very little. She let out a sigh before looking up at Star again.

"...He's not gone, Star..." Kira said, despite tears filling her eyes. "...he'll never be gone... he'll always be w-watching over us... fr-from the great beyond..."

"U-uh... Kira...!" Kai suddenly said. "...Watch out!"

Kira glanced back to see Kai and Sugarcube hastily stepping backwards away from something small making its way into the chamber. Looking closely, Kira saw that it was a facehugger. It must have escaped from a breached chamber... but before she had any time to move...

"AAAH...!" Kira shouted as the small creature lunged at her.

It grappled its limbs around her head, and whipped its tail around her neck. She tried to fight it off, but it was far too strong despite its thin legs and tail. It had fully covered her face, preventing her from breathing. Kai, Sugarcube, Chase, and especially, Star watched all of this in sheer terror.

" _MOM, NO!_ " Star said. " _I'm not gonna lose you, too!_ "

Immediately, the young female Drone jumped into action, leaping for her mother, and began to pry the rock-solid hold of the Facehugger's limbs and tail apart. Eventually, with much straining, she was able to get the creature off of her mother's face, a fleshly tube emerging from Kira's throat, as well as two smaller ones from her nostrils, causing her to gag a bit, before it slipped out and she took heavy breaths.

Star, meanwhile, held the struggling Facehugger above her head… and pulled apart with all of her strength. After a little while of doing this… the Facehugger split in half, showering Star with its acid blood. It did nothing to the Xeno… but it melted the floor between her feet. As she stood there, Kai, Sugarcube, and Chase all stared in both shock and awe.

" _Woah... didn't think you had_ that _in you!_ " Chase said.

Star dropped the two halves of the now-dead facehugger. Again, she slumped over, ashamed.

" _I-I'm really, really sorry...!_ " Star said. " _...It's j-just... Mom... is my only... f-f-family now..._ "

Chase tilted his head. " _Why are you saying sorry? That was actually amazing!_ " he said.

Star lifted herself back upright, leveling her head in Chase's direction.

" _...You... you really think so...?_ " she asked.

" _Yeah!_ " Chase said.

With a bit of struggling, Kira managed to get back on her feet, with the help of Kai.

"Anyway," Kai spoke. "we'd better split before the security team disables the security system!"

With that, they all quickly took off back the way they came. They ascended the steel chain back out to the roof of the lab, where they carefully examined the surroundings to see that the WY security squad still had their focus directed more to the front of the complex. This allowed for them to descend from the ladder and make it out of sight... and just in the nick of time, too; more security vehicles were coming in fast.

The heroes had made it to a fairly deep gorge in the area, which they decided to cross in order to take a long, not-so-obvious way back to their residential region. The only means of crossing was by a fairly old rope bridge that spanned the crevasse, where there was still a heavy fog that had formed overnight.

" _Oh, jeez..._ " Chase said, peering over the rope railing. " _...I don't wanna fall!_ "

"Just don't look down, Chase! It'll be fine!" Kai said.

With the three Xenos leading, all five of them crossed the bridge a few at a time, just to avoid risking the bridge collapsing under too much weight. Once all of the Xenos made it across, Kira and Kai crossed together... however, their progress was halted by a sudden laughing sound coming from behind them.

They looked back to see that two very familiar men had followed them...

"It's Meyers and Baldwin!" Kira said.

"Sugarcube!" Kai called ahead. "Get Star and Chase to safety!"

Just as requested, Sugarcube, Star, and Chase all made a break back for their homes. Right as Kira and Kai were about to make a run for it, they were halted by a sudden shout.

"STOP!" Meyers shouted.

The two looked back to see that he had a handgun pointed at them. They both froze and held up their hands. What was he going to do to them?

"So... you brats have managed to dodge _every single_ obstacle we've thrown at you!" Baldwin said.

"Well... not this time!" Meyers said. "No, _this time_... it's going to be one _hell_ of a sealed fate for the pair of you!"

With that, Meyers turned his gun to the rope holding up the guardrail on one side of the bridge and fired, breaking the rope, and making the bridge very unsteady. Kira and Kai both held out their arms, flailing them and trying to maintain footing. However, Meyers made it worse by shooting out the support for the beams on the same side.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH...!" both young adults screamed.

The bridge tipped sideways at a ninety-degree angle, and Kira and Kai both began to fall. They were saved by a stray bit of rope that they both latched onto.

Meyers could not help but chuckle, and neither did Baldwin. The former holstered his weapon and folded his arms arrogantly as the two college students held on for dear life.

"How's it feel to be on the _other_ end of the gun!?" Baldwin taunted.

"Let's just leave these brats to a watery grave, shall we? In the meantime, we'll go after their specimens that they stole back from Weyland!" Meyers said.

With that, the two madman were off, leaving Kira and Kai totally helpless. Kira, being the one closer to the top, tried to climb up the rope... but she had never been a skilled climber, even on a rock wall. At one point, a weak spot on one of the upper ropes snapped.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH...!" Kira and Kai both shouted as they dropped a few meters, both of them still holding tightly to the rope.

They stopped with a jolt... and noticed that there was another spot weakening and tearing... on the rope they were holding onto! Kira looked down at Kai.

"Kai...!" she said. "...Just try to hold on! I'll keep trying to climb up, and you do the same!"

Kai closed his eyes and jaw, and hung his head down.

"...I have to let go of the rope, Kira. It's not gonna hold!" he said.

"WHAT...!?" Kira exclaimed. "...Don't talk like that! It _will_ hold, Kai...!"

However, this was proving to be untrue... the rope was still slowly ripping, threatening to drop them into the obscured chasm...

"Both of us are too heavy; one has to let go." Kai said.

"...P-pleasedon'tdothis, pleasedon'tdothis, pleasedon'tdothis, pleasedon'tdothis..." Kira said over and over.

After hanging his head down for a good, long while, the young man looked up at his female friend.

"...Take care, Kira..." Kai said, tears filling his eyes. "...tell Sugarcube... th-that I... l-l-love her..."

"K-Kai... don't do—" Kira spoke.

Within two seconds... Kai released his hold on the rope, and began to plunge into the fog-laden valley below. Kira's eyes went wide and her jaw dropped.

"KAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII...! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...!" She shouted.

It was no use. Kai had disappeared completely from sight into the fog. Kira hung where she was, utterly shocked and immobilized by what had just happened. One of her first college friends... and the one to have known her the longest throughout her time in college... he had sacrificed himself to save her.

Despite the rope no longer ripping... the one thing that _was_ torn apart was Kira's hope.

(XXXX)

Kira had blacked out for some time after that. She did not even know how she managed to climb the rope to safety and make it as far back home as she did on foot. Despite this, she had been crying for a good half-hour.

"I-I don't believe this... I c-c-can't believe this...!" Kira stammered. "...First Aster... and now... K-Kai...!"

She continued to walk through the obscure road... until she heard some people talking. Curious, she went in the direction that the sound was coming from. Staying hidden among the foliage, she found none other than...

"Meyers...!" Kira whispered in fury.

It was indeed Meyers and Baldwin... but there was a woman with them. She was dressed in business attire, and was leaning against a fairly luxurious coupe car. In front of the car was a flat, round holoprojector, which she was controlling with a remote. It was projecting an image of what looked like a high-rise building.

Did Meyers have yet another partner!? Kira was beginning to wonder exactly how many connections he still had with Weyland-Yutani. Regardless, she got closer to overhear their conversation, staying among the bushes and small trees all the while.

"Now," the woman, who was Margret, spoke in her German accent. "from the work that I have done in addition to what you asked, I have managed to evade security and calibrate the transmitter atop Bishop Tower to send out a worldwide signal when the primary terminal is used under your company profile, Dr. Meyers... and to access your profile, you, of course, need only utilize the backdoor you implemented unbeknownst to Weyland to perform a manual override of the system."

Meyers nodded approvingly at the layout of the tower hologram, which was zoomed in on the bizarre-looking, massive transmitter mounted on top of the building, which began to flash red on the circle-part in the center **(the transmitter was built in the shape of the** _ **Alien: Covenent**_ **WY logo that looks like a wingspan)** as it began to emit expanding circles outward, indicating wireless signal.

The woman continued to speak: "Now, if all goes according to plan, then you would not have any need to use this means of transmitting the program to its destinations... however, it will make for an effective backup if anything goes wrong with the plan."

"Well done, Margret!" Meyers complimented. "You've done quite well! It really pays to help out for a cause of _true justice_ , right?"

"Indeed," Margret responded. "it is especially in order after they refused to promote me to the company board over some lazy slacker who slept his way to the top!"

A worldwide transmitter? A backup plan? What was going to happen? What did Meyers have planned? Know him, Kira definitely assumed that it was no good. Especially with what he said back in Virax about obtaining data and access to nuclear weaponry...

Kira remained in hiding until she was sure they had left the area following their brief meeting, and then proceeded to continue home herself.

 **I hope this long chapter will help you all catch up on the story for the time being. I'll be working on the next chapter real soon! So, until then... Keep holding on...**


End file.
